The Curious & The Mad
by Ibaraz
Summary: Jefferson is living a happy life reunited with Grace in Storybrooke. Little does he know that Regina and Rumpelstiltskin plan to bring a major surprise back into his life that could possibly help save Storybrooke from Cora. But what personal effect will it all have on everyone's favorite Mad Hatter as his story is further revealed? JeffersonxAlice. Post-S2E8. Sort of AU.
1. Prologue

**A/N: New story. I hadn't planned on writing this, but I can't seem to resist it. Jefferson is my favorite character on the tv-series Once Upon A Time, and I'm curious of his story. This is just a suggestion of what it could have been and will portray him both in Storybrooke and before the curse back in fairy tale land. This is intended to be the length of an episode of OUaT so not necessarily all questions will be answered within this story. **

**Oh! And if I do not follow canon 100 %, don't cut my head off! **

**This takes place somewhere in Season 2, post Episode 8. That is as far as I have seen of the series, and I have not yet made decisions on what I will include in this or when exactly after that this takes place. But, up 'til that moment everything on the show also happened in this story. If nothing else is specified.**

**This chapter could also be altered down the line after I've seen more episodes and change my mind as to what to include! I will warn each time if I do so, and hope you will be patient with me!**

**Disclaimer; I do not own Once Upon A Time. It's a marvelous idea and the creators are amazing for what they are creating out of the fairy tales we all grew up with and loved. I wish I was part of it, but I'm not that blessed. **

**I hope you like the story and leave a review if you do!**

* * *

**1. Prologue**

The moon shone against the dark skies above and merely a few stars sparkled in the endless dark above Storybrooke. For a more romantic heart, the sight could have been charming, but it held no fascination for Regina.

She turned her gaze from the stars and gazed about her on the street with a deep sigh. A cold wind blew past her and she shrugged her dark coat closer to her body to preserve some warmth. She had grown tired of waiting a long time ago, but she had no other choice if she was to complete her task this dark night. Even if she was a dark and powerful queen, there were things she couldn't complete all on her own. Besides, she had promised Henry not to use magic and she intended to uphold that promise.

Finally, she saw the limping man with his cane turn the corner up ahead and walk towards her. Now and then, he passed beneath one of the street lamps and his short figure was illuminated by the cold, pale lights. Even from afar, she could see the amused twinkle in his pale eyes and she sighed once more. This would be a long night.

After a few minutes, Mr Gold came to a halt a few feet in front of her and the smirk grew on his thin lips.

"Well, look who's come crawling for help," Gold said and shrugged his eyebrows in barely concealed delight.

"I'm doing this for the both of us," Regina commented dryly. "No one is crawling."

"Yes, _you are_," the man said. He gazed sideways at the door to his own shop and up at the 'CLOSED'-sign on the door. With slow moves, for he knew how impatient the queen by his side was, Gold found his keys and unlocked his store. He gently pushed the door open and held out his arm for Regina.

"Shall we then?"

Without a word, but with a most furious glare, Regina entered the store and turned on the lights. She gazed about her at all the objects in the store. She knew most of them from their enchanted world but even she didn't know all of their stories. Still, she had a feeling there were fewer things Rumplestiltskin didn't have in his store than what he did own.

"I will have you know," Regina turned as the man spoke once more. He stepped inside after her and closed the door behind him before he turned to her once more and finally continued, "you interrupted a very lovely date with Belle."

"You know I don't ask for your help often," Regina scowled.

"No," Gold nodded and the smile returned to his lips. "Which is why I know this will be most enlightening."

Regina sighed. She wasn't in the mood to keep playing along with the man's game and so decided to cut to the chase. Small talk had never been her forte anyway. She leaned back against the main counter and crossed her arms over her chest as her dark eyes bore into the man before her.

"You know my mother is attempting to get to Storybrooke."

"Yes. I believe that is yesterday's news," Gold nodded. "There'd better be more to it than that."

"Well, you are also aware that Charming's attempt to contact Snow failed. With him still stuck in the sleeping curse we have no idea of knowing if he managed to convey the message at all. We need another plan, I have such a one for us."

"I'm guessing Henry doesn't know you're plotting dark deeds behind his back, does he?"

Regina shook her head once. "It's better my son doesn't know some things. Besides, I'm merely doing this so that I can uphold the promise I made him."

"Oh!" Gold cooed. "_Now_ it's getting interesting…"

"Should Cora manage to come here, we will need powerful magic to defeat her. I'm not sure our magic will be enough-"

"Speak for yourself."

"You know I'm right, Rumpelstiltskin," Regina said in a dark voice and hoped the man would finally take her words serious. When the man didn't argue again, she knew it was his silent way of agreeing with her. Truthfully, there was no way of knowing exactly what it would take to bring down the charming Cora. "We could need more magic on our side."

"I know where you're going with this," Gold nodded and pointed his cane at the queen before him. "But you seem to forget. The only one powerful enough, beside you and I, was killed."

Regina finally found the tables turning in her own favor and smirked. She shook her head and slowly revealed, "_Not_ the only one."

Gold's face momentarily expressed his surprise as he frowned across the space between them. For a few minutes, he considered her words before finally he said, "You mean… the sister. The one I cast into another realm. I see how her powers, should they be returned to her, could help us against Cora when the time calls for it. There's but one problem, though. I don't remember seeing her here in Storybrooke. I didn't think you had brought her with in the curse."

"I did," Regina guaranteed. "But she's been eluding me. I'm guessing since the curse lifted she doesn't want to be found. And I have no idea where to look."

Gold nodded in understanding. "That would be because of the deal she made with me. It is sure to keep her away. The only reason I could see for her wanting to step into the light would be for _him. _But our deal makes such a reunion impossible."

The queen nodded and pushed away from the counter. "But do you know where we could find her? Or do you have any means to locate her?"

Gold lowered his gaze to the floor as he pondered the possibilities. "Well.. I'd say the simplest way for you and I would be to inform the Hatter and let him do the work, but since I can't work with him either..."

Regina felt anger rise in her chest and she cursed internally. She had hoped this plan could be the answer to many of her worries as of late. She had hoped it could stop her mother and keep Henry safe, but apparently her idea had been in vain. The thought that she would have to return to merely hope that Cora didn't find her way there was not to Regina's liking. "So you know no way then?"

"I didn't say that, dear. I might have just the thing…"

Without explanation, the man raised his cane and pushed the queen out of his way as he walked past her and behind the counter. Regina watched the man curiously as he knelt down in search of something. At last, he stood tall and held out the object in his hand. Regina frowned down at the thing in confusion.

"Is that…?"

"The Hatter made it once, yes," Gold nodded as he put his cane on the counter and took hold of the object with both hands. It was a black, velvety top hat with a flat crown and a broad, navy blue brim. It was somewhat dusty from being hidden for such a long time and Gold brushed it somewhat cleaner with his palms.

"He made it for _her_, I'm told," Gold further explained. "It's magical, of course."

"A portal?" Regina frowned still unsure what the man was trying to get at.

He shook his head. "It's designed for... smaller things. Let me demonstrate."

Without further ado, Gold reached his hand into the hat and his entire arm seemed to vanish into it until he withdrew it and in his hands rested a white, fluffy rabbit that struggled to get loose. Gold smirked up at Regina.

"_Original_," she commented dryly and gazed at the wildly kicking animal in disbelief. There seemed to be a collar or chain of some sort around its neck, but Regina couldn't see it clearly. She turned her gaze back up at the man and raised a questioning eyebrow. "You're not actually serious, are you?"

"Of course I am," Gold huffed and seemed positively offended. He crouched down and released the rabbit on the middle of the floor. "Our friend here will find her for us. Regina, if you would hold open the door?"

Taken aback by the unexpected turn of events, the woman walked over to the door and held it open without even a word of argument.

For a few seconds, the rabbit did nothing but sit on the middle of the floor and Regina figured she had wasted her time after all. Suddenly the rabbit moved, it skipped out of the shop and down the road in quite the hurry. Regina watched it jump down the street and turned back to Gold.

She pointed after the rabbit. "Should we not follow it?"

Gold shook his head and leaned once more on his cane. "No. When the rabbit finds her… she will come to us."

* * *

_To be continued._


	2. New acquaintances

**A/N: I'm trusting my readers to be aware when I'm writing stuff taking place in Storybrooke and when it takes place in the fairy tale land. Let me know if it gets too confusing.**

* * *

**2. New acquaintances**

"Well? What are you waiting for?" Rumpelstiltskin asked and impatiently turned in the Hatter's direction.

The two men were in the middle of the woods where no eavesdropping ears could overhear their conversation for it was one of those best kept between four eyes. The Dark One glared up at the man who sat leaned back on a tree branch quite high up from the forest floor. Jefferson looked every bit like a carefree child who had decided to refuse his parent's wish as he pretended not to notice Rumpelstiltskin's diminishing patience.

Rumpelstiltskin was used to getting what he wanted when he wanted it, and wasn't much pleased with the Hatter's sudden hesitance. Slowly the Dark One hissed, "_Get on with it_."

Jefferson glanced down at his current employer briefly and sighed. The two of them had worked together _many_ times now and for the most part Jefferson quite liked their exchange. Rumpelstiltskin would ask him to find things or do other deeds, and in return the Hatter received quite the plentiful reward. He led a lonely life and had no one to care for except himself, but that still didn't mean he didn't crave gold just like the next man when offered to him.

The whole thing carried an air of adventure he had once loved and craved, but now knew he was beginning to lose interest in. That was the part about his job he didn't much care for anymore. And he was _highly_ unsure about this next quest Rumpelstiltskin wanted him to do.

Jefferson gazed up at the clouds between the tree crowns above as he explained, "I can't just '_get on with it_'. One doesn't simply enter Wonderland."

"Of course one does."

"Not with a safe passage, one doesn't," Jefferson argued back and glanced down. "I've heard stories of the Queen of Hearts and her malice…"

The Hatter saw a knowing smirk play across the Dark One's lips but knew better than to question its meaning.

Without explaining it (which Jefferson hadn't expected either), Rumpelstiltskin instead said, "Yes, yes. She's evil. So what? You work for _the Dark One._ I didn't much think it frightened you."

"I've heard she's worse than Regina has become. And we both know how much of an Evil Queen _she_ is... I'd rather keep my head where it is, thank you."

"Do your job right, and you will come to no harm," the Dark One said and all the sudden sat on the branch next to Jefferson. He swung his legs like a child as he hummed with laughter in his own peculiar manner. "I need information on the Queen of Hearts. I need you to get it for me, but without giving away my name to her. If you are to succeed… I'll give you all the gold you've ever wanted."

Jefferson pondered these words and weighed the pro's and con's of this option. Indeed, he had never set foot in Wonderland before, not even though he carried many of his own handmade portals. Still, he had heard things that had only made him want to stay away from the place. He'd never heard anything that had made him want to go to Wonderland.

… Then again! To receive all the gold he wanted was a great incentive to travel. And, hey, what did he have to lose anyway, beside his head?

At last, Jefferson nodded and nimbly leaped from the branch onto the forest floor. The leaves rustled beneath his feet and he stretched tall. Rumpelstiltskin now stood before him on the ground with dark expectation shining in his eyes.

The Hatter nodded. "Alright. I'll do it. I'll go to Wonderland and retrieve the information you want."

The Dark One giggled in the peculiar way that made Jefferson's skin crawl. "Excellent. Then I will show you the way into Wonderland."

* * *

"Grace!" Jefferson called as he walked through their big house in search of his daughter. The two had been reunited now for nearly a month and honestly, life hadn't been this great in years. Literally.

When he got no reply, he called out for her again, "It's your day off from school! What do you wanna do today? Should we start with me making us some breakfast or…"

His voice trailed off as he stepped into the hallway where his daughter stood waiting for him. She was already fully clad in jackets and boots.

"… or we could go out for breakfast…?" Jefferson finished as a smile tugged on his lips.

Grace beamed up at her father as she held out his long coat for him. "I thought we could go to Granny's for breakfast."

Jefferson sighed and smiled down at his girl. He knew there was nothing in the world he could deny her and wordlessly shrugged on his coat.

As Grace opened the door and stepped outside, her father muttered as he followed and locked the door behind them, "Just so you know, I was planning on making you _delicious_ pancakes… I'm not making them for you now."

"Oh, dad… I'm sure Granny's has pancakes," Grace sighed as she tugged on her father's hand to follow her down the street.

"But it won't be your father's pancakes!"

* * *

Belle walked along the streets in Storybrooke.

Ever since she had been released from the asylum, she had wanted to explore the town the others knew so well. There were still so many people and so many places to see. Today, she had decided to explore some of the smaller streets on her own, but now found herself lost. She couldn't even see the grand clock from where she was in town and couldn't quite remember how she'd even strayed this far from the main parts of town. These neighborhoods seemed just as charming as the rest of Storybrooke, however, and Belle didn't much mind just wandering through them.

Suddenly she passed an alley and stopped as she looked inside. She frowned at what her eyes saw in the corner of the alley. It was a poorly taken care of alley but with the day light up ahead, Belle could see it all clearly. It seemed like this part of town was scarcely ever visited and apart from the corner, the alley looked quite dirty. Curiosity filled Belle's spirit as she hesitantly looked about but there was no one on the streets around her. She turned her gaze back into the alley and slowly stepped forward.

She walked down to the corner in her heels and looked up at the curious shop that now lay before her.

_Tea Shop_, the extravagant sign simply stated above the door and Belle peeked through the store's window. Even through the windows she knew this would be quite the peculiar shop and she just had to go inside and see more of it. Perhaps she could find a second chipped cup for Rumpelstiltskin in there.

Without thinking about it further, Belle opened the door and stepped inside the tea shop.

* * *

Jefferson stepped through the mirror Rumpelstiltskin had made him for his portal collection and gazed about. So this was Wonderland. _Huh_. Some things were truly best described by their names.

The colors all around him were vividly strong and almost blinded the hatter's eyes as he looked about him in an attempt to take in his surroundings. On either side of the road, and stretching on for as long as he could see, was an abundance grass and mushrooms taller than himself. He had never felt like such a teeny, tiny person before in his life. In fact, _everything_ in his vicinity seemed gigantic. Then again, Jefferson wasn't quite sure if he was just tiny all the sudden.

The Hatter raised his foot to continue down the road when he noticed something coming at him form the corner of his eye. He didn't have time to react as the same something crashed into him and knocked him into the cover of the vegetation.

* * *

A small bell above the door chimed as Belle entered, much like the bell in Gold's store, and she walked further inside. It was a small shop but it was filled with teapots and cups in different shapes and sizes in both common and most uncommon designs. The small shop seemed filled to the brim with anything you could possibly ever think of for having tea.

The shop was empty apart from herself, and Belle moved further in to gaze at the wondrous items. She lifted a flowery cup from one of the shelves when her ears suddenly picked up the sound of footsteps in the backroom to the shop.

"Hello?" Belle called as she put the cup back on the shelf.

She walked further towards the counter when suddenly someone stepped out from the back room. It was a young woman with blonde, wavy hair that reached her shoulders and glasses rested on her thin nose. She wore jeans and a pale blue blouse that flattered her slim body. The woman was beautiful and Belle realized she didn't recognize her. Even after she had stepped into the same room, the blonde woman didn't even notice the costumer. Instead her attention was fully focused on the small, simple tea pot that rested in her hands.

"Um, hello?" Belle tried again with a smile.

The woman was so shocked by Belle's presence that she jumped back and in doing so, dropped the pot in her hands. It fell to the floor and smashed into several pieces.

"No…" the woman whimpered as she hurriedly knelt by the shards to pick it up. Belle rushed over to help the woman and the two lifted all the shards onto the counter.

"I'm am terribly sorry for that," Belle excused herself as guilt overtook her upon noticing the despair in the other woman's blue eyes. "It seems neither tea cups nor tea pots are safe when I'm around…"

"It's alright," the blonde woman muttered and gently pushed Belle's hands away to inspect the damage. After a few silent minutes, she sighed in relief and finally her gaze rose to meet the other woman's. "I can repair it…"

"Well, that's good!" Belle smiled.

Suddenly, as if remembering herself, the blonde woman's smile vanished from her face. Realization flashed in her eyes as she noticed there was a customer in her shop. She seemed hesitant what to do and Belle got the distinct impression she was no longer wanted. Perhaps it all had to do with the broken pot, but Belle suddenly felt as if she had to find something to break the ice with.

"It's a lovely tea shop you have here… Is it the only in Storybrooke?" she asked.

The blonde woman nodded but didn't say a word.

Belle made another attempt at small talk. "I gather you like tea then? I've found I quite like it, too. I never had it before... I mean back home, you know. Only here in Storybrooke really."

The blonde woman merely gazed up at the beauty as suspicion started to crowd her pale eyes like dark clouds on a bright day.

Belle found she couldn't quite stop her words to flow out and fill the tense void of silence that would have been present otherwise. "I've never seen you before. Do you not often go into the main parts of town?"

"I think you should go!" the woman basically cried out at last.

Belle flinched in confusion and frowned as the woman rounded the counter to stand next to her. "I don't understand."

"You ask too many questions. Who do you work for?" the other woman asked and Belle was taken aback by the frightened, threatening tone to her voice. "Do you come on behalf of the Queen of Hearts?"

"_Who_?" Belle frowned. "I don't work for any-"

The blonde woman didn't let Belle finish. "I really think it's time you left. Go, please!"

"W-why?" Belle stuttered as the other woman started to push her towards the exit. The beauty felt like cattle being herded and didn't much care for the peculiar treatment. Still, she was sure the woman didn't do it out of darkness in her heart for Belle could clearly see the fear in the woman's wide, pale eyes.

The woman opened the door and Belle hesitated in the open doorway.

"I'm Belle. What's your name?" Belle dared to ask.

The blonde woman shook her head and waved her arms at the beauty once last time. "_Go_!"

Startled by the recent events, Belle basically rushed from the alley and down the road.

The blonde woman watched her disappear and sighed in relief when Belle was out of sight. She was just about to re-enter her shop when she saw a white rabbit jump into the alley towards her.

* * *

"Hey, hey!" Jefferson huffed and scrambled away from his attacker. In the commotion, he'd lost his top hat and he looked about him wildly in search of it. The item law discarded a few yards away and the man crawled over to it and furiously pushed it back atop his ruffled hair before he exhaled in relief. He then turned around to have a look at his fierce new fow but faltered in surprise when he saw her. His attacker was just a young, slender woman.

Jefferson's wide eyes gazed closer at her. The woman had long hair that floated about her body in blonde waves and her eyes had the color of rain on a sunny day. She also wore a torn, pale-blue dress with a white belt, and it must have been rather fanciful once but had long since lost its splendor and now looked tarnished and worn. She matched the look with mocha-colored leather boots and a simple dark cape finished off her ensemble.

Jefferson didn't quite know what to say to this particular surprise. His gaze lingered on her face and Jefferson had to admit she was more than a little fair even though she looked somewhat wild in her dirty attire.

"Who are you?" he managed to ask at last.

The woman merely scrambled to her feet and pointed down at him. "Stay off the main roads!"

"Ehm… okay," Jefferson blinked a couple of times and then rose from the ground, too. If she was skipping the small talk, he could do the same. "_Why_?"

The young woman sighed. "It's your first time in Wonderland, isn't it? Stay off the roads so that the Queen of Hearts can't find you!"

Jefferson felt a smile tug at the corner of his lips. "What if I want to be found by her?"

The blue eyes widened. "_Then you are mad!_"

Jefferson shrugged and scratched his scalp. "Perhaps. You're not the first to say suggest it."

The woman suddenly froze and dove towards him once more. One of her slender hands flew up and covered his mouth. "_Sch_! Be quiet!"

For some reason, Jefferson felt his heart speed up at the woman's touch and close proximity to him. She was smaller than him and her fair head reached about an inch above his shoulder. Her eyes met his and for a second, Jefferson found all thoughts fly out of his head.

Noises could be heard from the main road and the two looked over the edge of a mushroom from their hide-out to see what it was. A couple of soldiers wearing black and red armor stood by the mirror and seemed to be searching it and its proximity for something or someone.

"The Queen is suspicious of anyone that enters," the young woman whispered close to Jefferson's ear. "Her soldiers always patrol these parts of Wonderland to stop any and all intruders. If you're caught you're taken straight before the Queen... but most who are, soon lose their heads."

The soldiers remained another minute or so but when they found nothing they eventually walked off down the road again to continue their patrol elsewhere.

Jefferson could sense the woman's relief as the soldiers vanished from their view and at last she stepped away from him. Their gazes locked and for a few seconds, Jefferson didn't quite know what to say.

Eventually, he managed, "I still have to see the Queen, you know."

The woman frowned. "Why?"

Jefferson straightened and held onto the collar of his coat as if trying to convey more importance than he truly possessed. "I can't discuss the details, ma'am. But I'm here on business."

"_Business_? With the Queen of Hearts?" The woman raised an eyebrow.

"Well…" Jefferson shrugged. "It's not _my _business. Just… business."

"Well, the main path could be a one-way road to the chopping block for you... May I suggest that you take another road through the lands instead? The path I'm thinking of is a bit longer, but you won't have to fear losing your head on it."

Jefferson pondered her suggestion and finally nodded. "Very well. Sounds like a plan. Will you point out the road for me?"

The girl snorted in amusement and boldly met his gaze. "You won't make it alone."

Jefferson raised his eyebrows and leaned forward until his head was on the same level as the woman's. "I thought you said the road was safe."

The woman grinned and her eyes sparkled with a knowing twinkle Jefferson decided he didn't like. She shook her head once and declared, "Never did."

"Then why would I take it?" the Hatter questioned.

"I've told you why, don't you listen?"

"I listen, but you are terrible at explaining things, girl!" Jefferson argued.

"Don't call me '_Girl_'!" the young woman frowned up at him. "Do you want my help or not?"

Jefferson stretched tall once more as he hesitated one last time. At last, his shoulders slumped and he nodded. "_Fine_. You'll take me to the Queen by your road then?"

"Yes," the woman nodded in agreement and bent low to pick up her long bow and quiver from the ground. Jefferson hadn't even noticed the weapons there before and blamed it on being mentally occupied with others things. As the woman put the quiver across her back and kept the long bow in her hands, she began to walk further into the vegetation.

"Hey, wait! _Girl_!" Jefferson shouted and the young woman stopped and turned back. Her pale eyes smiled at him and the Hatter found his question lost somewhere in his mind. "Ehm… What's your name?"

The woman's smile widened as a faint blush crept up her cheeks. "I'm Alice."

"_Curious girl_," he remarked with a smile and then hurriedly followed in her footsteps. "Wait for me, Alice!"

* * *

The blonde woman bent low and picked up the rabbit as it stopped by her feet. Tensely, she looked down at it in silence and raised her gaze to make sure no one else were watching. The alley was completely empty apart from herself.

She then turned her attention back to the small animal and stroked away some of its snow colored fur from the necklace it wore. The woman inhaled as she revealed the tiny object attached to the necklace. It was an old, gold clock that needed rewinding. The clock had obviously stopped working a long time ago.

The woman sighed. She knew exactly what this meant and the thought of it was not entirely pleasant to her.

* * *

_To be continued..._


	3. Who Are You?

**3. Who Are You?**

Jefferson held open the door for his daughter as Grace rushed inside the café with a wide grin on her face.

"Hey, Ruby!" the young girl called as she rushed to one of the booths by the window where she had a good view of most of the town.

The tall, dark-haired woman with red highlights in her locks looked up and beamed over at the little girl. "Hey, Paige… eh, _Grace_."

"Either is fine," the girl shrugged as she proceeded to remove her coat and threw it on the seat beside her. With great expectancy, she looked up at her father and with a nod urged him to join her.

Jefferson smiled silently at Ruby before he walked over to his daughter and took the seat opposite her. He'd spent most of the curse believing it was Regina's private curse for him, and even now when everything had been revealed and changed thanks to the Swan woman, Jefferson still had a hard time fitting in with the main crowd, so to speak. Even before being exiled to Wonderland, he'd been a loner for years, and before then... Well, he hadn't always been the nicest of boys exactly.

But Grace liked to be around the people of Storybrooke and he wanted to change for her if it meant keeping her happy. Besides, he wasn't the same as he'd been all those years ago and in a world gone but not forgotten. He'd found good in him, and as he gazed across the table at the young girl he knew exactly what his source had been.

Ruby walked around the counter and over to father and daughter with a wide grin on her dark-red lips. "Anyone hungry?"

"Like a wolf," Jefferson commented dryly and ignored Ruby's glare as he turned to his daughter, "Go ahead and order whatever you want."

"Blueberry pancakes, an orange and a large chocolate milk, please!" Grace immediately ordered without even a second's pause.

Jefferson stifled a chuckle. He was fairly certain Grace's mother, bless her soul, would never have approved of such an unhealthy breakfast had she been alive. "Same for me. Thanks, Red."

Ruby nodded, "Coming right up."

* * *

"Hurry up!" Alice called to the man behind her as she walked beneath another giant mushroom and hurried onward.

The Hatter could barely conceal his eye-roll as he wordlessly stepped through the vegetation. The blonde woman moved fast for being so small, he had to give her that. And so far, everything ran smoothly for them. Far smoother than he'd expected for a place like Wonderland.

Still, Jefferson couldn't quite prevent the thought that sped through his mind that all of this was a mistake. It wasn't often he blindly put his trust in people and he couldn't quite figure out why he had chosen to put all of his faith in this young person. _Alice_. He liked the name, though. Maybe that was why.

The man found his thoughts interrupted all the sudden when another voice sounded from his left.

"Who are you?"

Jefferson stopped and looked in the direction of the noise. What he saw made his jaw drop. Further away, upon an enormous mushroom of his own was… a giant, blue caterpillar with glasses, a small fez and an elderly, human face. On top of it all, the caterpillar was smoking a hookah and the tendrils slowly swirled upwards to the blue skies in wondrous patterns.

"Now I have seen it all…" Jefferson muttered.

"Who… are… _you_?" The Caterpillar repeated as he squinted and leaned closer to have a look at the sudden intruder.

"I'm The Hatter."

The Caterpillar inspected him closely a few seconds longer under silence before he once more reclined back on his mushroom. He smoked his hookah once and then shook his head slowly. "Hardly."

Jefferson frowned up at the peculiar creature. "Eh… Excuse me?"

"You are excused," The Caterpillar nodded and blew some smoke at the Hatter down below. Jefferson coughed as he was engulfed in the giant cloud and the smell burned his nose. He wondered briefly if this was what it was like to be inside a cloud up in the skies.

A hand suddenly gripped onto his arm and Jefferson turned as Alice appeared by his side in the middle of the smoke. Suddenly, Jefferson felt like a child who'd done something very naughty without meaning to. There was plain irritation in her eyes as she looked up at him and commented in all seriousness, "_Don't_ talk to him."

"Alice!" The caterpillar exclaimed when at last the smoke cleared. "Who are you, Alice?"

"Oh, turn into a butterfly already!" Alice huffed in anger without meeting the creature's curious gaze. With that as her farewell, the young woman tightened her grip around the Hatter's arm and pulled him forward.

As Jefferson stumbled after the woman, he glanced back at the caterpillar who had returned to calmly smoke his hookah and watch the tendrils swirl upwards as if he had no cares in the world.

"_I hate Wonderland_…" he heard Alice mutter as she pulled him further away. An amused grin spread across Jefferson's face and he turned forward once more.

* * *

The door to Granny's café opened once more as Belle entered. She was still a bit shaken up from her morning's adventure and barely noticed any of the customers as she went straight for the counter and sat down on one of the high chairs.

Ruby looked up at her friend and frowned in concern. "Everything okay, Belle?"

Belle nodded distantly but a small frown spread across her face. As the beauty lost herself deep in though, Ruby left her to her pondering as she continued preparing the order. While Belle collected herself, Ruby served Jefferson and Grace their breakfast before she returned behind the counter.

As she did, the door opened again and Henry walked inside the cozy place. Their was a small smile on his young face. Despite all that he was going through he remained brave, just like his grandfather would have. The boy slowly walked over to a chair beside Belle and hopped onto it.

"Chocolate milk, Henry?" Ruby asked with a wide grin as the boy nodded enthusiastically.

As the drink was served before the brown-haired boy, Belle finally looked up.

"Has either of you ever been to the tea shop in town?" she asked and looked from Ruby to Henry.

The two exchanged a confused look and then shrugged in reply. It didn't ring a bell to either of them and neither could quite understand what Belle wanted out of her sudden inquiry.

Ruby slowly turned back to the fair woman. "I didn't even know there was such a place in Storybrooke."

Belle nodded and enthusiastically proceeded to explain her morning to them, "I've just come from there actually. I was out walking and stumbled upon the place. I've never seen such a wondrous shop either. It was cramped with all these beautiful tea pots and cups. And there's this odd, blonde woman who runs it… I've never seen her anywhere else in town. She wouldn't tell me her name, but-"

Behind her, Belle distantly heard the sound of a fork being dropped onto a plate that then proceeded to clatter onward to the floor. She paid it little heed as she focused her mind to attempt to explain the rest of her mini-adventure, but found herself roughly interrupted.

"Pardon me," a dark voice suddenly spoke behind Belle's ear and the woman jumped in surprise.

She turned her head and easily recognized the man who stood only a feet behind her. It was the man who had saved her from the asylum, she recalled his name was Jefferson. She hadn't seen him since that faithful day and was surprised to see him all the sudden again. She looked up at him expectantly, hoping to get some form of explanation of his unannounced appearance.

In his pale eyes a flicker of hope passed that she hadn't seen in them last time. He wet his lips and slowly continued, "I couldn't help but eavesdrop... Where exactly was this tea shop?"

* * *

"So who are you?" Alice asked as the two walked on between the field of grass.

Overhead, the sun had passed its highest peak on the sky and begun to slowly descend. Time, though, seemed a peculiar thing in Wonderland. At times the sun seemed to be further up on the sky, Jefferson noticed, only to next time be lower. He wasn't certain at all what time it was, but Alice had assured him it was afternoon already.

Jefferson's eyebrows shot up in surprise as he pondered her question. "Mimicking the caterpillar, are you?"

"Just answer the question," the woman muttered.

"I'm a hatter. Well, _The_ _Hatter, _actually. I specialize in portal making and travel a lot between worlds when assigned to do so. My hats are my portals, I make them myself and everything."

Alice stopped and the man was forced to do as well. A hesitant smile played across the woman's face and Jefferson could see the doubt in her eyes. "A mad hatter who travels between the realms? _Really_?"

"Honest," Jefferson said and then grimaced. "But I prefer just 'Hatter'. Without the 'Mad'."

"Prefer?" Alice frowned and tilted her head to the side. For a few seconds she was silent before she turned her gaze up to meet his. "What's your _real_ name?"

"Oh… Jefferson."

Alice smiled. "_I_ prefer Jefferson."

* * *

The blonde woman gazed down at the rabbit cage on the floor. The white animal seemed content in his cage as it nibbled on a carrot in peace. The woman exhaled deeply and closed the door of the back room. She couldn't deal with that now. She had left that life a long time ago and knew there was no going back. It hurt too much to even think about it now and she could even less face any of it at this time. If she was ever to do it, she would have to first build up some strength to cope and endure the storms that awaited.

Instead, the woman turned her full attention on the tea pot that had broken earlier when the beautiful woman had surprised her. In all honesty, she hadn't meant to frighten her, but she couldn't afford to answer any of the questions asked. She had too much at stake as it was.

The woman walked back over to the main counter in the back end of the shop and opened one of the drawers. She took out a looking glass and some glue and then leaned against the counter to gaze closer at the damage done to her pot.

She pushed the glasses higher up the ridge of her nose and exhaled to prepare herself mentally. She needed both a steady mind and a steady hand to finish this today. Slowly, she set to work on matching the pieces and gluing them together.

The process was slow and demanded her unfaltering attention. So consumed by the repair, she hardly heard the sound of the bell chime over the door. The second customer of the day. A few minutes passed in which silence remained in the small shop, but gradually, the woman became aware of another presence in her small shop.

The woman froze as a soft voice reached her ears. It was a voice she hadn't heard in a long time and had been dead certain she would never hear again. Her heart stopped and spread an ache in her chest as she noted the frailty and confusion in the simple words that echoed in the room.

"…Who are you?"

* * *

"What about you?" Jefferson asked after a few minutes of silently walking side by side through the giant grass. He wasn't entirely sure where they were in Wonderland anymore, but knew they had only walked further and further from the main path since setting out. "Who are you?"

She smiled up at him. "I told you, I'm Alice."

"That's _your name_, not who you _are,_" Jefferson pointed out with a knowing look and patiently waited for her to speak.

Alice shrugged in confusion. "What do you want to know about me?"

"Eh… Do you have any siblings?" Jefferson blurted in a rush before he could properly consider what to ask. He closed his eyes tight in embarrassment of his bluntness. He certainly hadn't meant to blurt anything ever, least of all to this fair woman. And out of all the questions to blurt in the world, that had to be the clumsiest.

A few seconds passed before Alice shook her head. "Only child."

"Me too!" Jefferson exclaimed with a grin and once more cursed himself. Why was he acting this stupid?

In a desperate attempt to cover up his clumsy behavior, the Hatter stretched tall and fumbled for the right words. "I… gather you hate Wonderland. Why don't you leave it?"

"I can't," she explained simply and then suddenly came to a halt. Jefferson almost walked into her but caught himself and moved to stand by her side. Her eyes were cast forward and something dark seemed to cross her features as she said, "We have to pass through there next."

Jefferson turned his gaze ahead and let out a sarcastically bemused breath.

They'd reached the end of the enormous grass field and before him now lay the edges of a dark forest. At least the forest were in normal size, just like back home. The woods seemed untouched by any rays of light but instead cast in deep shadows despite the strong sun above their heads. He peeked further in and here and there, Jefferson could see shadows move and bright eyes twinkle back at him. He swallowed as the whole thing reminded him of a terrible nightmare.

"Remember to keep your guard up in there. It's not exactly a bright place," Alice warned and Jefferson turned his gaze back to her. She crouched and pulled a hidden dagger from her boot and held it up for him to take. "Just in case."

He laughed nervously but took the weapon from her waiting hand nonetheless. It felt unusual in his hands, as if the weight was not quite right for his grip. In truth, he'd rarely held any weapon in his life. With his resourcefulness, Jefferson had found he rarely needed sharp things to protect him.

"It looks fun…" he muttered and nodded to the woods ahead.

Alice let out an amused chuckle but didn't say anything about his quirky comment. Instead, the woman stepped forward and slowly entered the woods. Even from behind, Jefferson could see her tension and alertness rise another few notches with every new step she took deeper into the vegetation.

The Hatter exhaled slowly and looked down at the dagger in his hand. What the hell was he doing?

* * *

_To be continued._


	4. Curiouser and Curiouser

**4. Curiouser and Curiouser**

As Alice and Jefferson walked deeper and deeper into the forest, Jefferson came to realize that the light in the woods behaved in the most peculiar way, as everything else seemed to do. From outside he had thought the forest was simply dark as night but upon entering had realized that it was only slightly darker than a forest on a stormy day. It seemed to be engulfed in shadows rather than darkness. Either way, it made no sense considering the bright sun he knew he had seen in the skies.

The tree crowns upon their heads now blocked any vision of the heavens and instead cast malicious shadows everywhere and nowhere. From some directions, their shadows looked like hands that threatened to reach out and grip around his throat. The Hatter could sense the dark spirits within the trees and he felt watched from every corner of the woods where ever they went. A large crow suddenly flew just inches above his head and he ducked as it croaked and narrowly missed him.

"This is a curious place…" he muttered and tightened his grip on the dagger in his hand.

He could see Alice's shoulder shrug as she commented plainly, "You haven't seen anything yet. Wonderland will get curiouser and curiouser the closer we get to the castle."

"Is all of this because of the Queen of Hearts?" Jefferson asked and accidentally stepped down on a toad that screeched as a result. The man's foot immediately flew from the ground and the animal furiously skipped away from the two people that had intruded.

For a second Alice stood immobile by his side as if expecting something to approach them now that the toad so loudly had announced their presence. Jefferson held his breath as he waited with her. Nothing came and Alice relaxed her stance.

She turned back to tall man and answered, "Some of it is, but not all. Most of the... _wondrous_ things in Wonderland were here far before the Queen. Though I suppose she brought fear into this world."

"_Before_ the Queen of Hearts?" Jefferson frowned. "Are you suggesting she hasn't always ruled these lands?"

Alice seemed reluctant to reply but shook her head nonetheless. "She came a couple of years ago, through the same mirror you did. She didn't waste any time in getting control over these lands obviously."

"Where did she come from?"

As Alice opened her mouth to reply something moved in the bushes by their right and both jumped into defensive positions. A small rabbit jumped out and upon seeing the human, hurried past them and disappeared further into the shadows.

Jefferson let out a breath he had unknowingly been keeping and said, "No more talk of the Queen of Hearts, please. Distract me some other way."

Alice glanced behind her at the man as they continued on their trek. "_How_?"

Jefferson shrugged as he kept a cautious eye on his surroundings. "Tell me about yourself. Tell me why you can't leave Wonderland."

* * *

Standing opposite the blonde woman in the small tea shop, Jefferson could feel his breaths heave from his lungs in unsteady, shaky turns. It almost felt as if he breathed any other way, his heart would break in shock. The slender woman had yet to look up at him. Her frozen, hunched over stance and the slight quiver in her pinkie, however, told him he had her full attention.

Everything about her form was so familiar to him that Jefferson wasn't sure whether to faint, run over to her or throw a fit because of it. He had _never _thought this day could come and so he had no words for it now that it was upon him. In fact, thoughts, too, seemed to abandon him when he needed them the most.

He composed himself and closed his eyes tight. He knew his voice had all but fled his body, but still he tried to speak. Carefully, he repeated, "… Who are you? Because I know who you look like, but it can't be you… _I can't be_."

For a painful minute, the woman neither said nor did anything. In fact, she didn't react at all to his statement and Jefferson wondered if he had actually managed to say the words or if it had all been inside his head.

Perhaps all of this was indeed within his head, it was perhaps another curse entirely. That thought felt more probable than the moment he was in, but for some reason his mind couldn't convince himself this was a fake reality. A small part of him knew the truth. He'd seen enough of false realities to know this was not one of them. This was simply reality.

"I'm hardly the person you think I am," the woman whispered at last but without moving from her hunched position. Her gaze remained down on the broken pot in her hands. Her voice was constrained and in a tone he'd never heard from her mouth before, yet he knew her voice. "The shop is closed. You should leave."

"Just tell me…" Jefferson managed a weary step further into the store but found he didn't have the strength to make it all the way. "Is it you?... Is it you, _Alice_?"

* * *

Alice shrugged and, for all intents and purposes, it seemed she wanted to avoid having to answer his simple question. Instead she moved along on the forest path in tense silence and picked up her pace as she did.

Jefferson decided he wasn't going to let her get away that easily, "As far as I see it, everyone can jump between worlds. You even have it easy. You _hate_ this place so there's nothing holding you back. You're free to roam the worlds."

Alice smiled joylessly as she finally turned back and met his gaze. "I don't want to '_roam the worlds'_. I just want to go back to my world. Go home."

"_Home_?" Jefferson frowned and scratched his head as he pondered it. "So you're not from Wonderland?"

Alice frowned right back. "Of course not."

"Sorry, don't get all offended!" He shrugged his eyebrows and she grimaced. "I didn't... mean anything by it."

The woman shook her head and moved her bow from the one hand to the other as she answered him truthfully, "I believe my native world is your world, too."

"Well, see then!" Jefferson beamed down at the woman. He clapped his hands together as if he'd just sealed a major deal and won the argument. "You've already crossed between worlds. You can do it again!"

She sighed. "It's not that easy I tell you."

"Well, then we can make it easy," Jefferson suggested. "I could help if I knew exactly_ how _you ended up here in the first place?"

The woman ducked his question once more, "It's complicated… and a boring story, really."

The Hatter nodded. That settled it then. "I don't want to hear it then."

The woman seemed taken aback by the man's sudden disinterest. "…O-okay then. Good."

The man nodded once. "Yes. Good."

Suddenly, Alice swung her bow quickly and held it up in front of Jefferson to stop the man. Whatever emotion had been in her face as they talked was now wiped off and replaced with anxiety as she listened to the woods. The hatter tried to do the same, but didn't hear anything suspicious. Then again, perhaps that was what was so suspicious.

"What is it?" he whispered close to her ear but she waved him off. With a frown he took a step back to sulk in silence of having been refused. He glanced behind and froze. Slowly he poked the woman's shoulder and as he got her attention pointed back to what he saw lurk in the shadows there.

"What's _that_?" he asked as two large creatures stepped onto the path behind them.

Grimly came the reply, "Trouble. Run. _Now!_"

* * *

The blonde woman exhaled a short breath and shook her head. She held out the broken tea pot for Jefferson to see but still refused to raise her own eyes. For the life of him, the man could not figure out why.

Her voice was stronger as she urged him, "I have to finish this, sir. You can't be in here!"

"It is you… Isn't it?" Jefferson couldn't even believe he was asking the question.

The man still failed to understand her reaction. It was the exact opposite of what he could have ever expected from her. She had loved him dearly once, so why couldn't she wait to get rid of him now?

The woman's voice rose an octave as she seemed to get worked up over the situation that had arisen in her shop. "I told you already, I'm not who you seek! You should leave!"

Jefferson numbly shook his head. "Alice, I-"

"_Leave_!" the woman shrieked and leaned on heavy hands over the counter. If she was preparing for an attack or was simply drained by their conversation, Jefferson couldn't tell. "I won't ask you again. Just leave!"

"_How_?" Jefferson managed and his voice quivered. Her words had fallen on deaf ears as the man's thoughts became transfixed on the past. There was one memory in particular that now played over and over in his head. "I saw you die…"

"Please, leave."

"I-"

"_Now_!"

Jefferson hesitated as her harsh words finally registered and he felt tears sting his eyes. His mind wandered to his daughter waiting for him now and to the life he had once lived in the fairy tale land. As the memories came crashing down, the man felt his defenses collapse and his walls break down.

He couldn't do this. He couldn't push this woman for details at this moment. He was far from ready to listen.

Without another word, Jefferson backed out of the store.

* * *

"Who are they?" Jefferson bellowed as he ran behind Alice. He was trying to keep up with her, but she was swifter even in full speed. "What do they want with us?"

Alice suddenly cut off from the path and ran through some thick shrubbery as the hatter tried to keep up. She shouted back, "_Me! _They want me! They work for the Queen of Hearts and want to find me! Come on, move quicker!"

The two ran down a steep hill and even though he didn't turn back, Jefferson could hear the heaving breaths of their pursuers. It they were enough to terrify Alice, they were enough to terrify him, too.

At the bottom of the hill, Jefferson saw a small lake and just between it and the hill was a narrow path that led southwest. He stumbled down the hill as he saw Alice reach the path before him.

Only a few steps from the path, Jefferson's right foot landed on a loose rock and he lost his footing. He fell and tumbled down the rest of the slope and landed face first onto the ground. He groaned as pain invaded his head and as if from a great distance, he heard Alice's voice shouting his name.

He managed to stand up and as he looked up, he saw one of the dark creatures run straight at him with his hands stretched out toward him. There was no time to escape now, they had caught up to him.

Right as the creature was to reach him, Jefferson felt something hard push him out of the way and he landed once more on the ground to the side. As he turned back he saw Alice step into the creature's path. As the creature reached her, it pushed her backwards with all its strength and the small woman stood no chance.

"_Alice!" _Jefferson shouted as she fell backwards into the lake.

* * *

_To be continued._


	5. The Tweedle Twins

**A/N: My sincere apologies. I had a mental breakdown and did not realize I'd used the wrong names until I couldn't shake the feeling something was wrong. Now, it's all better.**

* * *

**5. The Tweedle Twins**

"Alice!" Jefferson cried once more as he gazed at the still, quiet lake behind him. He felt his heart speed up while his breathing subsided and he found no reason whatsoever to explain his physical reaction.

Apart from the huffs and puffs of the creatures tired breathing beside him, the forest remained painfully silent and still for the first time since he'd entered it. He hated the silence even more than the strange noises at the moment when all he could do but wait.

A couple of seconds later the blonde woman resurfaced with a loud gasp. Despite having been completely submerged under water, Alice seemed completely dry. She was still waist-deep in the dark, murky water as she gazed up at the Hatter on the path.

"Hey," she managed awkwardly and Jefferson released a breath of relief.

Without wasting another minute, the Hatter threw himself onto his feet and stood on the path between the two creatures and the lake. With any power or cunning he possessed, he would keep their pursuers from getting to the young woman. He wasn't sure what they wanted with her, but felt dead sure he wouldn't like it if he did know.

The two creatures looked at the man who waved his knife in front of him in erratic, scared waves and they took a hesitant step back. Having stopped their pursuit, even if it was only momentarily, Jefferson was finally able to get a good, clear look at the enemy.

The sight that met him made the man falter. He lowered his dagger and his defensive stance slumped over due to the unexpected visions ahead of him. With a confused frown he opened and closed his mouth a couple of times as he jerked his thumb in their direction. Alice behind him in the water merely shrugged tiredly in silent response, as if trying to reassure him he wouldn't want to know.

A few feet before him stood not two menacing creatures as he had thought from their long and tiresome pursuit. Their followers were instead nothing but two very large, ugly boys who couldn't possibly have reached adulthood already. The two boys had shaggy, blond hair, wore matching uniforms in black and red and overall their appearance seemed almost identical. The two of them looked like a couple of twins from a freak show as both even had the same lazy eye going on. Neither exactly reminded Jefferson of the sharpest tools in the shed, to put it mildly.

Still if their youthful, stupid appearance calmed his nerves, their size and scowling faces betrayed their true nature. He wouldn't take the risk and underestimate them, not when he knew how fast Alice had run away from them before.

With a frown, Jefferson finally asked, "_Who are you?_"

"He's Tweedledee," the one on the left said.

"And he's Tweedledum," the one on the right supplied. "People call us the Tweedle Twins."

The Hatter blinked a couple of times before he tilted his head sideways. He couldn't quite make out if they were pulling his leg or being serious. Then again, he wasn't entirely sure they were bright enough to pull anyone's leg. "_Tweedledee and Tweedledum?!_"

The one on the left, Tweedledee, scowled, "_No_. The other way around."

Tweedledum immediately punched his brother's arm. "No, he said it right!"

Tweedledee frowned. "Are you sure?"

Jefferson held up his hands to stop the argument as he felt weariness overpower his mind. He'd already had quite enough of this. The boys stopped bickering and turned back to watch the Hatter before them. ""O…kay," the man muttered. "I guess we are being serious."

"Get out of our way, peasant!" Tweedledee growled.

Tweedledum nodded in agreement. "We're only after _her_ anyway. We have no quarrel with you!"

Jefferson glanced back at the woman still waist-deep in the lake. She silently followed the scene that played out before her on the path and her wide eyes seemed unsure what the Hatter would do next. A part of him felt offended she seemed to even consider the possibility that he would abandon her. A plan slowly formed in the Hatter's head and he winked down at her.

He turned back to the two boys and squinted his eyes curiously, "Exactly what is your quarrel with Alice?"

* * *

"Daddy? What happened, daddy? Where did you go?"

Grace's questions followed Jefferson and hung in the air around him like a cloud of cologne, but he merely shrugged them off as he walked further and further into their big house in Storybrooke.

He couldn't deal with her questions now, even though they came from his most precious girl. Not when he had no answers to give her but more questions of his own. Without a word of explanation, Jefferson closed himself away in a room he had once used for hat making and waited until he heard Grace's voice, muffled by the door, finally surrender and fade away. He heard her steps walk down the hallway until there at last was silence all around.

Who had he met in the tea shop today? Could it really have been…?

The questions swirled round and round in his head like a furious whirlwind and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't find any solution to what he had seen today. The fact that she had thrown him out, too, only added to the confusion and pain that now threatened to rip his heart from his chest.

Jefferson exhaled as a single tear made its way down his cheek and inside his scarf. He felt it trickle past his scar, soon followed by another and another. Powerless, Jefferson sat in the darkened room as sobs quietly racked his entire body.

* * *

The Tweedle Twins exchanged a confused look. While Tweedledum scratched his scalp, Tweedledee turned back to the man with a suspicious look.

"What's it to you, peasant?" the latter asked.

Jefferson shrugged innocently. "Call it curiosity."

"Haven't you heard?" Tweedledum snarled and crossed his arms over his chest. "Curiosity killed the Cheshire cat."

The Hatter frowned. He hadn't meant anything in particular with his choice of words, but apparently he'd struck a very tender nerve. "…What?"

Alice sighed from her position in the water and Jefferson turned his confusion in her direction. The blonde woman rolled her eyes. "That's another story of Wonderland… You don't want to know it."

Jefferson nodded in acceptance and turned back to their enemies. "Well?"

Tweedledee and Tweedledum exchanged another confused look. "What?" they asked in unison.

"Well, what do you want with her?" the Hatter repeated his question even as he felt his patience wear thinner and thinner.

"The Queen of Hearts wants her," Tweedledum explained.

Tweedledee nodded in agreement, "And the Queen always gets what she wants."

"_Why?_"

Tweedledee shrugged. "Because she's pretty scary! Haven't you seen her?"

The Hatter sighed and slowly started again. "_Why_ does the Queen want Alice?"

"Oh!" Tweedledum said as if he'd reached a profound conclusion, which Jefferson highly doubted he actually had. "The Queen wants her captured."

"I _hate _to repeat myself, but… _Why?_"

From behind him Alice let out another impatient sigh. "Oh, for-… _I_ can't take much more of this game of questions! The Queen of Hearts wants to throw me in her prison because… I nearly overthrew her once. She sees me as a threat and wants to keep me under control."

"Then why keep you alive?" Jefferson pointed out and turned his questioning to the woman instead of the oys.

Alice shrugged and her face contorted into a frown. Through gritted teeth, she asked in a cool voice, "Is this really the time, Hatter?"

"It's not!" Tweedledum huffed. "So step out of the way and let us take her to the Queen!"

Tweedledee agreed and took a step forward, "It's nothing to you anyway, so get out of our way!"

The Hatter couldn't quite believe his own thoughts as he instinctively held up his hands and once more flashed the dagger for the boys. "See, now… I can't do that."

The Tweedle twins exchanged a look and then frowned over at the man. "Why?"

Jefferson shrugged. In truth, he wasn't entirely sure of that either. "_Because_."

"Not good enough!" Tweedledum growled and the two twins seemed to have reached the end of _their_ patience. The two of them began to run towards Jefferson as if prepared to tackle him and the man acted quickly.

He immediately threw his hat onto the ground and as it spun a portal to another world opened through a purple vortex that rose from the fabric. The two boys ran straight into the vortex and were sucked away while their horrified shouts echoed between the trees. As the purple haze disappeared in a flash, The Tweedle twins were gone from Wonderland.

Alice let out a shocked breath. "… Where did you send them?"

Jefferson shrugged as he picked up his hat from the ground and turned to face the woman. "To a place for lost boys. Get out of the water now."

"_I can't_. This isn't exactly water," Alice muttered.

Jefferson frowned as he stepped over and took a closer look at the lake. In fact, upon closer inspection, he realized it wasn't water at all. In the dark shadows of the forest he had mistaken the surface for water but when he leaned closer he realized it was more of a mirror.

"Curiouser and curiouser, you said, huh?" he asked and stretched tall once more. "What is it?"

Alice shrugged once more as she pointed down at the surface of whatever it was. "The easiest explanation is to compare it with quick sand… except in a mirrory substance."

"Oh…" Jefferson allowed her words time to sink in. "You mean you're… stuck?"

The young woman frowned up at the man. If she wanted to make it clear she was no longer amused, she got her point across perfectly. "_I mean_ as soon as I move… I will sink."

"Not that I want to point out the obvious, but… that's not good. How do we get you out?"

"You don't."

Jefferson froze and watched the young woman before him. In her eyes danced only surrender and knowledge of a battle lost. He couldn't quite believe how deflated she seemed all the sudden, so void of hope.

Furiously, he shook his head. "I'm not leaving you here."

"You sort of have to, Jefferson," Alice said in an impatient voice. "There's _nothing_ you can do."

If there was anything Jefferson disliked more than the rest, it was when someone used words like 'nothing' or 'impossible'. He shook his head at her words to indicate how much nonsense she was speaking, "Yes, there is. I'll pull you out."

Her disbelief shone evident in her wide eyes. "With _what_? As soon as I move, I told you… I'll _sink_. You're not listening again."

"No, I'm not _not _listening to you," the man explained and then stretched his arm towards her. She was almost within reach and as he extended his arm even further he waved the object in his hand. "Grab hold of my hat."

"Your hat?" The disbelief was back.

"It's magical and quite spectacular… I'll think you'll find it helpful. Will you stop doubting me?" Jefferson huffed.

Alice just glanced from the top hat in his hand to the man's face. "Are you mad?! It's just a _hat_!"

"You offend me, Alice. That hat just sent two boys to another world. Grab hold."

With a deep, reluctant sigh she reached out for the hat, if only to prove him wrong. Even the small motion of reaching for it made her sink another couple of inches into the chilly liquid of the lake. She still stretched out towards the object however, and when she finally got hold of the brim, she was shocked to find she did not sink any further. Jefferson gloated at her current disbelief for the wonder danced in her eyes most curiously.

The man dug his heels into the ground and pulled with all his might. Though the woman was most definitely light weight, the liquid was thick and moved slow even when he used all of his strength. It was with great exertion that Jefferson fell onto his knees as she was pulled close enough to grab hold of him. Alice wrapped her slender, pale arms around his shoulders with her and discarded the extraordinary hat on the ground next to his feet.

"Pardon me for this," he excused as he put both hands firmly on her waist and tugged hard to get her bottom-half out of the lake as well. He inhaled and pulled with all that remained of his power until he felt the liquid give in. He finally managed to pull Alice completely free the lake and, having exhausted himself, lay down on his back to catch his breath. He reached for his precious hat and put it over his face momentarily as fatigue rocked his body. He was so focused on getting oxygen into his lungs that he didn't notice how the young woman hesitantly kneeled on the ground beside him with a small smile on her face.

With a timid hand, Alice removed the hat from the man's face and smiled down at his handsome, exhausted features.

"You _are_ quite mad, Hatter," she whispered and slowly leaned her head down towards his.

Jefferson felt his heart pound inside his chest, threatening to break loose, as her lips came closer to his. He saw Alice inhale once, as if deciding to take the plunge before she'd be too scared to do anything at all. Then suddenly her soft lips descended upon his. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the unexpected sensation but too soon it was gone.

He opened his eyes and found that Alice was gone from his line of sight. The fair girl had gone to retrieve her weapons further away on the path.

Jefferson couldn't stop the smile that broke out on his face as he touched his lips tenderly.

* * *

_To be continued._


	6. Ignorance is bliss

**A/N; This chapter takes place at the same time as the Storybrooke-events (but not the flashbacks of Hook/Cora/Regina in the fairy tale land, obviously) in ****Season 2, Episode 09, which I hope the readers find obvious. Just wanted to give you the heads up.**

**Please leave a review and let me know what you think!**

* * *

**6. Ignorance is bliss**

The bell chimed in it's merry tune but Gold paid it no heed as usual.

As he walked through the back room of his store, he glanced down at the sleeping prince on the couch. It had only been a couple of days since the man had fallen under the sleeping curse, but time wasn't exactly on their side as it was.

They needed to know if David had passed on the message to Mary Margaret and Emma. They needed to know if Cora was coming to Storybrooke or not. With no confirmation, Gold could only assume the worst. Leaning heavily on his cane, Gold limped over to a cupboard and pulled out a wand.

"Gold? Are you here?" a dark, familiar voice asked from inside the main area of the store and the man in question smirked as he quickly discarded the wand in the pocket of his coat.

Gold walked out of the room and moved to stand behind one of the counters as he gazed ahead at his guest, who looked anything but amused to be there this time. The woman raised an impatient eyebrow as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Has she been in contact yet?" the woman asked with her demanding voice.

Gold barely glanced at her as he casually leaned against the counter and played with one of the lamps upon it. "Who?"

Regina sighed and refrained from rolling her eyes as she stepped further into the shop. With great restraint, she said, "You know exactly of whom I speak, Rumpelstiltskin."

"_Yes_," he said in agreement and finally turned his full attention to the evil queen. "Question is… do you?"

"What's that supposed to mean? _Of course, I know_."

"You remember then that you, too, had a small contribution in sending her to the other realm? Have you considered she might not be willing to co-operate with the two of us?"

Regina frowned and genuine confusion flashed in her deep, dark eyes. "What are you talking about, Gold?"

"Ah, see then. I was right. You're still ignorantly unaware. I'm starting to think, Regina, that you don't comprehend what you've set in motion with this."

The woman squinted her eyes in an open display of malcontent as she hissed, "But you don't seem terribly upset about it... Your riddles aren't amusing me, Gold. Tell me what I need to know and speak plainly."

"…Or what?" he shrugged his eyebrows in defiance.

Regina sighed. "Just tell me."

"We have other business to attend to. There's no time for this conversation."

"Then _when_ _is_?" she asked in a slow, threatening voice that did not scare the dark one.

Gold winked mockingly and with a sly smirk commented, "You'll know soon enough. Now, shall we close that portal to stop your dear, wicked mother, or not?"

* * *

Several hours later as the sun had set on the horizon, Jefferson exited the room with his head held high. After a rough couple of hours, he'd finally realized that he couldn't dwell in that dark state of mind. He had to take care of Grace and irregardless of what had happened during the day, he'd have to move on and ignore it.

The woman in the tea shop had shunned him. His Alice would never have done the same, of that he was certain. Perhaps, he thought, everything had been a misunderstanding. Perhaps his grief had blinded him from the truth. His slight paranoia might be playing tricks with his mind as it had often done in the past.

As he walked down the corridor, Jefferson had just about convinced himself to swallow those memories and gaze ahead once more. As he entered the kitchen, he was therefor taken off guard as he saw his daughter still up and about and a large pile of pancakes awaiting him on a plate on the kitchen counter.

Grace was still busy by the stove as he passed her and tousled her hair playfully before he slipped onto one of the bar seats by the counter nearby.

"What's all this? A light nighttime snack?" Jefferson asked as she placed a cup of tea in front of him. With a grateful wink he picked the cup up to take a sip as the strong scent thrilled his nostrils.

The young girl leaned against the top of the counter and gazed long and hard up at her father. "Dad… I heard you earlier. I heard you cry."

The man paused with the brim of the cup barely grazing his lips. Slowly, he lowered the cup and kept his eyes on the dark, swirling liquid within it.

"You're making it up, Grace," he said with a frown for he didn't quite like his daughter's bluntness. He was certain she had inherited that quality from her mother. "I don't know what you're talking about."

The girl sighed. "_Dad_… I'm not a little child anymore. I know you, remember? I'm your daughter. I know when you're sad… I just wish you told me why."

Jefferson shrugged with ease and smiled over at his girl. "I lost out on a job opportunity today, that's all. That's why I was distressed when I came home."

"You've been in the room _all day_, dad," Grace said pointedly as a look of knowledge passed in her eyes. Her father immediately recognized the wisdom of her young years and even though she saw right through his poor defenses, Jefferson had already made up his mind.

He wasn't going down that road again, he would not falter even for his girl. He'd lost his wife once, that was enough for any man. He neither could nor would do anything about this at present time. Over the years after Alice's death back home, he'd become excellent at sweeping his grief under the rug and saw no reason to stop that now.

"Honestly, Grace. I'm fine."

* * *

"I told you already, I'm fine. I got out of the lake, didn't I?" Alice huffed as the two of them walked side by side on the path in the forest.

Jefferson pursed his lips in silent acceptation of her response. In truth, he knew she was well, he just couldn't quite figure out any other topic that didn't directly address their kiss before. He had rather liked it, and from the flustered blush on the fair woman's face, so had she.

Something had stirred within him ever since his eyes landed on Alice that first time and Jefferson still didn't quite know what to make of it. He'd never felt anything like it before. He'd been kissed before, certainly, but nothing like this. The kiss from Alice had felt _right_ somehow. And to the Hatter, that was simply wrong. He couldn't afford to feel feelings, not even for the brave, beautiful woman by his side.

Still, his body seemed unable to keep its distance despite what his brain told him. Now and again he walked so close that their hands grazed and for all his might, he couldn't stop doing it. Each time he did, the woman looked up at him and smiled widely, which of course only pulled him back in like a magnet.

As the two of them passed a clutter of tall oaks, Jefferson suddenly saw one of the trees raise a thick root and trip Alice, who fell face first onto the ground rather ungracefully.

The man tried to hide his amused smirk as he asked, "Are you alright?"

"Did I mention I _hate _Wonderland?" the woman sighed in irritation even as Jefferson gently pulled her up from the ground. He started to help brush some dirt off her dress as their eyes met across the short distance. As if he'd been burned by a flame, the man jumped back to a safer distance.

"You, eh…" He fumbled for any words to keep him in the clear. "I-I think you had better explain why the Queen of Hearts wants to capture you?"

Alice grimaced and ducked the question as she picked up her bow from the ground. "Ask me something else."

"Why is a raven like a writing desk?"

The young woman turned to the man in great surprise matched only by her confusion. After a moments hesitation, she managed a quizzical, "_What_?"

Jefferson shrugged innocently as he explained his logic, "You said 'something else'."

She laughed and squeezed his arm affectionately as a blush crept up her cheeks. "Fair enough. Listen, I've told you all you need to know already. I tried to overthrow the Queen because she's a tyrant. I put my trust in the wrong people, however, and was easily caught. She locked me up but I managed to escape. I've been living on the run ever since."

"That explains your dirty clothes," Jefferson said as Alice glared up at him. "I still don't understand why the Queen locked you away instead of killing you…?"

Alice shrugged. "I don't know. Variety? Come on, we're almost out of the woods. You'll see the tyrant herself within the hour."

* * *

Alice smiled at the man behind her as she stepped out of the dark forest at last and into the twilight of the evening outside. The sun was low on the horizon but still threw a warm light in an avast array of colors over their surroundings as Jefferson stepped out to join her.

The Hatter gazed ahead at the magnificent view that suddenly met his eyes. Below the hill they stood upon there was a giant maze that seemed impossibly intricate from this height. Behind the labyrinth he saw the gigantic castle stretch tall towards the heavens and it stood impressive even in the darkness of twilight.

"Well done, Alice," the man breathed.

The young woman nodded once as she took a step forward. She paused and as she turned back, held out a hand for him to take. He gazed down at the slender, pale hand and felt his heart stop briefly. What did she want of him?

"We need to stay together through the maze. It's harder than it looks, but I've learned the safe road through. Come, take my hand. I'll guide you through it."

He hesitated another beat but eventually nodded and accepted her hand. As he closed his own calloused hand around hers, he noticed how perfectly it fit within his grasp. Momentarily distraught, he followed the woman as she tugged on his hand.

* * *

"_Drop down_!" Alice shouted as she threw herself onto Jefferson and pulled them both to the ground as a branch suddenly coiled out from the bushes and whipped at them. It narrowly passed above their heads and knocked the hat from the Hatter's head.

"That's the second time you've saved me…" he breathed and stood on precarious legs as he gazed about him at the maze's endless wonder. They'd entered not twenty minutes ago, but the man had no idea if they actually were any closer to the castle than when they had entered.

"Third. But who's counting?" Alice muttered and reached for the hat before the bushes could snatch it from them.

"I'd say some of those saves are null and void since you've also put me in danger more than once," Jefferson said distantly as he gazed around at the tall bushes around them in great suspicion.

Alice, meanwhile, stood easily from the grassy floor and stepped close to place the hat on Jefferson's head once more. She stood on her toes and came up to his face level as she smiled warmly up at him. Something dark and fascinating passed through her eyes as her bold gaze travelled from his eyes down to his lips.

The invitation was well understood as Jefferson slowly leaned forward and brushed his lips against hers. Her arms snaked around his neck as she deepened the kiss and Jefferson soon found himself unable to think or act because of the sensations that travelled through his body.

He pulled her closer to his body and lost all sense as she softly moaned against his lips. He pushed back and struggled to focus for a few seconds. He felt almost drunk and struggled as if actually being so to find the thought that had struck him so suddenly.

"Are you… sure it's safe to do that here?"

"Don't worry, this path won't take you close to the deadly traps. The branches here might give you a severe headache, but stay on your toes and they can't pull you into the bushes," Alice explained and slowly stepped back as the Hatter's eyes widened.

"What do you mean by '_pull in_', Alice?" Right as he finished his sentence, another branch whipped out and again knocked the hat from the Hatter's head.

* * *

An hour of stress and danger later, Alice finally led Jefferson to the exit of the maze. Only a few yards ahead of them now lay the bare castle walls and the two hid behind the bushes as they gazed up at it.

Further down on the right, Alice pointed out the royal gardens, "You'll do best to enter through there. The Queen will hopefully let you keep your head when you've shown how resourceful you were in finding your way here. She'll be intrigued for sure how you escaped past her soldiers."

Jefferson let out a breath of relief before he squeezed Alice's hand in his own. "I couldn't have found the way without you."

Alice snorted. "Certainly not."

The man hesitated on the brink of their farewell. He didn't want to say the words anymore than he was certain she wanted to hear them. Still, he didn't know to what extent her feelings stretched for him, nor his for her. There was but confusion and elevation in his heart as he gazed down at her downcast eyes.

Jefferson opened his mouth but closed it again when no sound came out. He attempted to form another sentence, but once more it fell short on his tongue. At last, he sighed and breathed, "But… how will I find my way back? I imagine I will only manage to keep the Queen intrigued if I can sneak away before she kills me."

A small smile played on the corner of Alice's lips as she raised her gaze. "I'll wait for you in the maze. If you're not here in two hours, I must leave or I'll be trapped for sure. Just enter and I'll find you when you do."

With a final nod, Jefferson squeezed her hand one last time and hurriedly sped off across the grounds in the direction of the garden.

* * *

Two hours later the sun had set and the stars twinkled above in the dark, endless skies above. The large moon cast an eerily, pale glow on the grounds as Jefferson sneaked back into the maze. He walked down one of the paths and with each step felt his heart sink. She wasn't there. She'd left him then.

A hand suddenly struck out from the darkness and gripped his hand and Jefferson spun around. Before him stood the young woman in her torn dress and bow in hand. As a wave of relief washed over him, Jefferson pulled her close in an embrace.

"Did everything go well?" Alice asked and her happy voice was muffled by the fabric of his jacket.

Jefferson shook his head and rested his chin on the top of her hair. "The Queen of Heart's wouldn't tell me anything. She was suspicious but at least let me run when we agreed I was of no use to her."

Alice pulled back and even under the moon light, Jefferson saw how the thoughts ran through her mind. "What did you tell her?"

"I told her how I had used my magic to send the Tweedle twins to another world in an attempt to impress her into sharing the information I wanted. Didn't work, obviously. I didn't tell her the road you led me by, of course, but-"

"Wait," Alice interrupted and held a finger to his lips. "You didn't tell the Queen about me, did you?"

Jefferson frowned and gently tugged at her hand to be lowered. "…I did. Hey, _calm down_! I'm sorry, I didn't think it would make much difference since she knew you were out here anyway. It can't be that bad, can it?"

Alice pushed away his hands and stalked several yards away on the path in the maze. After a long minute in silence, she suddenly whipped around to face the man as pain and fear flashed in her pale eyes.

"You don't understand, Jefferson! I told you she wants me caught! If you told her of me, she surely let you go so that you could lead her to me. She's resourceful and even _I_ am scared of her wrath, Jefferson. She wants my head… She wants to cut it clean off and then keep me alive as a puppet to her!"

The Hatter swallowed and reached a hand up to his own throat at her words. "…I didn't even know that was possible."

Shortly after their discussion, the two of them heard whispers from further down the maze in the direction of the castle. Jefferson cursed silently to himself as he recognized the voices as those of the Queen's most loyal soldiers. Alice had been right then for they must have followed him. He had screwed up massively and with an apologetic gaze turned back to the woman before him.

Alice seemed close to a panic attack as she pulled on Jefferson's sleeve and ran further into the maze down her secret passage. As they rushed forward, Alice breathed, "I've been hiding from her for so long, but she'll never forget me. I'm sure she won't leave me be until she has me trapped once more! I must go deeper into hiding!"

Jefferson pondered her words as he staggered in the dark around the sharp corners and blurted without thinking, "What if you were to come with me instead?"

Both of them froze as his words sunk in. Neither had expected such an offer and now the question lingered unanswered in the air between them for both were to scared to address it again.

At length, Alice turned around to face the man but her gaze failed to meet his. "Do you want me to?"

Jefferson shook his head but his mouth sounded to the beat of another drum. "Yes."

The young woman frowned up at him in confusion. The Hatter inhaled deeply and tried again. He had to be clear with this, there could be no room to misinterpret. He once more shook his head furiously, but said, "Of course I do."

Alice frowned up at him another second before her face cleared and she broke into clear laughter. She threw her arms around his neck and brushed her nose against his. "Mad, you are. _Completely mad_."

"I'm starting to think you're right," Jefferson muttered even as his arms enveloped her slim waist. "Actually, I know for sure, for only a mad man would ever fall for you." As he heard the soldiers in the distance once more, he slowly addressed their issue. "But we still have a _small_ problem. _I_ hate Wonderland..."

"Let's go!" Alice urged and gripped his hand as the two of them dashed around a corner and further into the labyrinth of Wonderland. Though Jefferson was sure this was the same route she had shown him last, he was certain he didn't remember the right turns at all. Still, with Alice by his side, he didn't need to fear.

He glanced down at the running woman ahead of him and smiled. She would lead them out of the labyrinth and then they would use his hat to return-... Jefferson's world crumbled as he suddenly realized something.

"We can't do this…" he breathed as he tugged on her arm to halt.

"No, we can't stop now!" Alice urged and pulled on his hand, but the man stopped and remained stoic as stone.

His revelation had quite abruptly pulled the rug from under his feet and he felt deflated. "We can't use either mirror or my hat to return home. The same amount of people that went through also has to return back. I can't bring anyone with me…"

The woman's smile faltered but was soon replaced by grim determination. "There's another way out. I know of another portal that can bring us home."

Jefferson frowned. "_How?_"

"It's better if you remain ignorant. Come now, the soldiers are gaining on us!"

* * *

_To be continued._


	7. Lewis

**7. Lewis**

"Hurry up, Jefferson!" Alice urged as she ran between the trees of the forest once more. The darkness seemed to close around them like a heavy cloak as they ran further and further into the heart of the woods.

The Hatter had expected her to lead him down the same path as before but when they'd entered the dark forest, Alice had instead kept them on a steady sprint towards the murkier parts of the woods. He had no idea where she was taking him, nor had she shared any more information about the mysterious portal she knew about. One question kept playing through his head over and over again; If she knew of a portal, why had she never left Wonderland?

Not far behind them, the cries of the soldiers still reached their ears and it sounded as if the Queen's guards were gaining on them. If they were to escape, this secret portal had to be close since they could not outrun their foes for much longer.

Alice jumped down a cliff ahead of them and landed among the leaves stealthily as Jefferson slipped down the hillside to keep up with her. She pushed him round the cliff and then suddenly pulled them both to a full stop.

Before them now stood a tall oak that seemed to have twisted around itself as it had grown towards the sky. A chill crept up Jefferson's spine as he gazed up at the dark tree that seemed more dormant than dead. Alice wasted no time as she tugged on a couple of fallen branches that covered the roots and with the help of the Hatter managed to expose the ground below.

Jefferson was taken aback as he gazed down at a hole in the ground among the roots that seemed like a large rabbit hole. Further down the hole, Jefferson saw a purple mist and he knew what it was. _Magic. _It must be the portal of which Alice had spoken. He frowned in her direction as she held onto the branches and listened to the soldiers in the distance.

"This is it then? The portal?" he asked at last and she turned back in his direction. She nodded once and Jefferson curiously asked, "… It's how you came into Wonderland, isn't it?"

"It is," she said and her voice was both dark and impassive.

"Then why haven't you returned before?"

The shadow fled from her face as she timidly smiled up at the man. "I've never had a reason to. But now I do... because I have _you_."

Jefferson grinned stupidly in her direction and nodded in acceptance of her given reply.

"Do you trust me?" she asked then.

"Of course, "Jefferson nodded.

"Then jump down first," she pleaded. "I'll follow behind but I must cover the portal once more so that the soldiers cannot follow. Hurry, they are almost here!"

Without even a seconds hesitation, Jefferson did as she asked and leaped into the hole in the ground.

* * *

Only a few seconds later, he appeared once more in his own fairy tale land. He stepped out from the tree he found himself in and looked about him. He didn't recognize this particular part of the plentiful forests and there was nothing but trees around him to tell him where he was. Still, he knew he was back home, for he could feel it in his heart.

Jefferson turned back and surprise hit him as he gazed at the tree from which he had merely a short while before exited from. The lower part of the tree was hollow and half of it was gone and turned to charcoal as if by some form of explosion. He inspected the trunk closer and soon realized the damage to the tree seemed old and long forgotten. Whoever had done this to the tree was long gone.

He stepped back once more and waited on baited breath. Thankfully, he was not kept waiting long for Alice soon appeared in the hollow tree and stepped forward right into his waiting embrace. Jefferson simply held her close as he felt the woman shiver in his arms.

"It's been so long…" she whispered and he felt rather than saw her heart on her sleeve. Her relief was plain in sight and she even sighed in contentment and grew heavier in his arms as she relaxed. "I thought I'd never see this place once more. Where do we go now?"

Jefferson smiled into her hair as he tilted his face into the crook of her neck, "Do you have anyone you want to visit now that you've returned?"

She simply shook her head. "That's my past. I don't want to look back. I want to look into my future, _with you_."

Jefferson pulled back and held her at arms length as he grinned down at her. "How would you like to see my simple cottage?"

* * *

The blonde, young owner of Storybrooke's tea shop stared down at the tea pot in her hands. She'd finally managed to repair it the day before, but that had been during great distress after Jefferson's visit. Her pale eyes now noticed she'd placed a few shards wrong in the pot and the beautiful, flowery pattern was broken. She exhaled deeply as she tried to ignore the gnawing pain at the back of her mind that kept reminding her of the day before but the truth kept glaring her in the face.

The bell above the entrance chimed and on pure reflex, she looked up to see the costumer. Her eyes landed on the familiar figure and with all the will she could muster, the woman turned her gaze down to the tea pot once more and focused to keep her eyes right there on the broken pattern.

"I thought I made it clear yesterday," she said with a shaking voice. "You're not welcome in my shop."

Jefferson cleared his throat awkwardly as he closed the door behind him with a slow motion. He wasn't entirely certain what he was doing at the moment, especially not after the vow he had made to himself the eve before. He must be madder than he himself had thought.

"I think you'll find this funny, because I certainly do," he began awkwardly and at the same time tried to clarify his intentions to himself. "I had made up my mind to _never_ come back here to see you… and yet here I am."

The woman remained silent as Jefferson stepped further into the shop as he glanced around him at the tea pots on the shelfs around him. "I really don't want to be here… but I _need_ to understand. Because… it is you, isn't it?"

She sighed and her eyes closed tight. "Jefferson, I-"

"So I was right. It is you... _Alice,_" the man said as he came to a halt only a few feet from the counter. He felt as if he'd finally managed to cross the abyss that divided them, though he was nowhere near her yet. The counter in between them represented more than simply a solid object that kept them apart.

* * *

Almost six months had passed and Jefferson's life with Alice had been at times trying for the passionate couple, but mostly filled with love and devotion.

The woman had moved into the Hatter's simple cottage and they had slowly started to make a life for themselves together. Gone were the days of his single life, and Jefferson had found he did not miss the past at all.

It was true, at least once a week he took a job offer from Regina or some of his other employers, but Rumpelstiltskin had not yet been in touch. This made the Hatter relieved for he knew Alice wasn't thrilled with his line of work. She had a hard time overlooking the darkness of his employers' ways (especially those of the Dark One) and felt his work rather disturbed the prospects of their future. With each passing day, Jefferson felt he agreed more and more with her, but he was still not sure if he could actually stop jumping between the worlds on missions.

The day before, on the six month anniversary of the start of their new life, Jefferson had proposed to Alice and the young woman had ecstatically accepted his honest offer.

Now, Jefferson stood in their backyard and gazed down at the object he'd just finished as his thoughts lingered on the woman who had become his entire life and the very reason he woke up each morning with a smile on his face.

As if reading his thoughts, Alice peeked her head out through the window of the cottage and smiled over at her fiance.

"Hey there," she whispered as the man hid the object behind his back and walked over to lean against the window sill. "You seemed a million miles away. What were you thinking about?"

"You," he explained simply and with a smile Alice tenderly stroked his cheek. "Alice… you know I'd give you anything, don't you? I'd give you the world if I could."

She chuckled. "You already have, Jefferson."

"Tell me, if I could… what would your world be like if you had one of your own?" he asked curiously.

Alice thought long and hard before she turned back to him and said, "Everything would be nonsense, for starters. Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn't. You follow?"

"Perfectly," the man nodded. "And what would you do in this world?"

There was a brief pause before Alice explained, "I'd throw tea parties every day in my garden full of rabbits."

Jefferson stifled a chuckle. He'd heard the woman speak of it often in the past for apparently tea parties had been some part of her lost, happy childhood. "Of course. Speaking of which... I have something for you." He held out his hands from behind his back and revealed the object for the woman. "Here."

Alice frowned in confused amusement before she reached out for the top hat in his hands. It was smaller than Jefferson's own hat but still just as beautiful with its navy blue brim. It had obviously been created by her fiance's own two hands and the gift touched her heart.

"You made me a hat?" she asked and laughter was in her voice.

Jefferson shook his head. "Not just a hat. Go on. Put your hand into it."

She frowned once more but eagerly did as had been asked of her. Her entire arm disappeared into the opening of the hat as she searched within it for whatever Jefferson wanted her to find. Her hand suddenly touched something soft and she grabbed hold of it before pulling out her hand.

"Oh, Jefferson..." she breathed in wonder as she gazed at the small animal in her hands.

"This, my dearest Alice… is my wedding gift to you," Jefferson said with a grin.

"He's perfect," the woman cooed as she patted the white rabbit in her arms. "I know exactly what to call him... Thank you, love."

"I'm glad you like him."

Alice's smile faded for a second as she nodded. "I do... however..."

It was Jefferson's turn to frown. "_However?"_

The woman's pale eyes met his and they seemed to gaze into his soul for a second before she eventually sighed. She glanced over at Jefferson's own, large hat that hung on a nail beside the window. "I can't express my gratitude over this rabbit, but I have something else I must ask of you..."

Jefferson nodded encouragingly for her to continue. "Anything."

"You honestly want to know what you can do for me?" Alice asked and hesitated a second before she admitted, "Turn from your old life. The evil magic of the people you work for _scare _me, for I know how much they can destroy with simply one sweep of the hand. We have started to create a new life in _peace_. I know it must sound daunting to you, but I merely wish us both to do good and be the best that we can be. We cannot build a family on the darkness of their magic. Can you give me this promise?"

Jefferson clutched her hand in his own and looked into her eyes with a piercing gaze as he patted the rabbit with his other hand. He could see the fear in Alice's heart and he could not bear the pain it in turn evoked in him. "I would do anything for you. You have my word."

* * *

Only a few days after Jefferson had given his promise, his word was put through the hardest of tests. As he and Alice had gone out into the woods in search for edible plants and mushrooms for their simple dinners, the two had decided to take different paths to cover more ground. As a result of this decision, the man soon found himself atop a small hill in the woods.

Atop the mount, Jefferson found a group of mushrooms and knelt down to pick them when suddenly a familiar yet daunting voice danced in the air behind him.

"Hello, Hatter."

Jefferson felt his blood freeze to ice and his face drain from all blood as he realized the importance of what was to come in this moment. Slowly he stood from the ground and turned around so that he came face to face with Rumpelstiltskin.

The Dark One's eyes glimmered mischievously as he tilted his head sideways and asked, "It's been months since I sent you into Wonderland, and yet you have not come to see me. Therefor I finally decided I had to come to you. Do you or do you not have what I sent you into Wonderland to retrieve?"

Jefferson inhaled a deep breath to strengthen him in preparation for the worst. Slowly he spoke, "I do not. The Queen of Hearts would not tell me anything at all."

Rumpelstiltskin's dark smile fell away and was replaced by a simple frown. "You failed then?"

"Jefferson?" Alice's voice suddenly sounded in the distance and both men turned as they saw the young woman had climbed the hill and joined them. She kept a safe distance and warily watched the scene before her as the Dark One turned back to face his employee.

"Well, well…" Rumpelstiltskin cooed but there was no amusement in his dark eyes. "So you brought something with you from Wonderland. You've been a naughty boy, Hatter."

"I've changed, Rumpelstiltskin," Jefferson said boldly with his head held high even as his heart pumped with frantic fear within his chest. He could only hope the Dark One would let him keep his heart after he had said what had to be spoken. "I don't want to work for you anymore. Release me from your services, Rumpelstiltskin."

"No, I'm afraid that's not possible," the Dark One's voice sang with glee and maliciousness as he glanced from Alice to Jefferson. "You'll remain in my services and will continue to do _what_ I ask of you _when_ I ask it of you… Forget the Queen of Hearts, I'll get the information some other way. But I'll be back with other tasks and you do well not to deny me what I want then… or face the consequences."

The Dark One glanced behind him once more at the young, blonde woman and his gaze lingered on her a fraction of a second too long before he suddenly vanished from the forest in a flash. Across the hill, Jefferson helplessly gazed over at Alice.

* * *

Jefferson wet his lips as he gazed down at the woman's tense form in front of him. She seemed even more on edge than the day before as she slowly put down the tea pot and let it rest on the counter. Jefferson didn't care for her distant manners. For reasons he couldn't explain to himself, he'd returned and knew he couldn't leave until she'd given him some much needed answers.

"Leave," she repeated and though the word cut through him like a knife, Jefferson stood his ground this time.

"_Why_ do you want me to leave?" he asked in a weak, pleading voice which only grew stronger as his hurt seeped into his words. "I'm your husband, Alice, I thought you would be a bit more happy to see me! But you haven't even looked at me!"

"_I can't!_ You don't understand!" she said through gritted teeth and then drew a deep breath to calm herself. "You shouldn't be here, you're endangering everything!"

Jefferson paused as he pondered her choice of words. He'd come in for answers, but suddenly he found himself with more questions. "Endangering what? Tell me! _Talk to me_! I want to know everything, there's so much I don't understand!"

"I've already told you, I can't tell you _anything_!" the woman growled in reply.

The man huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. "You know, I thought Henry might have been right -"

"_Who_?" the woman interrupted with a frown.

Jefferson pretended not to have heard her. "- Not knowing isn't worse. _Knowing_ is. I now know you were alive all along, but you just didn't want to come back to me; _your husband_!"

The blonde head shook as the woman's frail voice whispered, "It's not-"

Once more, the man pushed on as his feelings blinded him from everything but what he needed to express. "How am I supposed to go home and tell Grace that _her mother_ just didn't love her enough to stay with her?"

The store once more fell into a tense silence as his question lingered unanswered in the air between the couple. The pain of his words seemed to have been fully registered by the woman whose fingers were gripping at the edge of the counter so hard they had drained from all blood. Jefferson waited as he saw the woman draw a couple of deep breaths and suddenly he thought he saw genuine fear and pain flash even in her downcast grimace.

He opened his mouth to question it when suddenly a familiar, white animal skipped out from the backroom and stopped by Jefferson's feet. As he gazed down at it, all his anger was washed away as confusion reclaimed his mind.

"Is that…" he managed slowly and his gaze flew from the rabbit to the woman as his mind tried to wrap itself around this new truth. "…Is that _Lewis?_"

* * *

_To be continued_


	8. Deal or No Deal

**8. Deal or No Deal**

Jefferson kneeled by the rabbit's side and gently picked it up. The animal cuddled close to his chest as if it remembered him from their other world and home. The man slowly patted its soft head and then turned his quizzical gaze up to the woman once more.

"Don't tell me you're going to be able to deny anything now…" the man whispered as he glanced down at Lewis in his arms.

The woman sighed and her shoulders slumped in defeat. "I can't do this…."

Jefferson stepped even closer and bent low in an attempt to catch her eye, but she turned her back to him at once and leaned against the wall behind the counter. Her body heaved with her slow, even breaths and she seemed to have the weight of the world upon her shoulders.

The man simply watched her as he tried harder to just understand why the woman was acting this weird. It was as if he was trying to solve a puzzle to which he was missing some pieces and had some pieces that simply could not fit. Whichever way he twisted and turned the facts he did know, he could still not make sense of it.

"Alice… We used to be able to talk about everything. We can talk about this as well. Explain what's happening and we can work on this. _Together,_" he tried to reason with her.

"We can't do anything, don't you see?" she whispered with a shaky voice. "There's no future for us and you do best to forget about the past, Jefferson. It's a distant memory, nothing more."

Jefferson shook his head. "I refuse to believe that, Alice."

The woman's stiff body suddenly shot away from the wall, moved around the counter and without a word she ran for the door in a desperate attempt to escape. Without a single word of farewell or explanation, she opened the door and disappeared down the street.

* * *

Two weeks after their wedding and almost a year after Alice first had returned to her home world, the young woman found herself seated by the kitchen table as her thoughts ran wild. She felt both dizziness and fatigue wash over her, but still could not hold back the grin that had erupted on her face as she pondered her latest revelation.

As she was deepest in her thoughts, the door to their homely cottage suddenly opened and Jefferson stepped inside. He threw his wife a warm, dimpled grin and discarded his long coat by the door before he walked over and joined her. With slow moves, he put his top hat on the table as he took a seat and Alice's gaze flew to it instantly. Her smile faded at once.

"What have you done today, dear?" her husband asked.

"I have…" she began but could not finish the sentence. To buy herself and her thoughts some time, she turned the question on him. "I'd ask that question of you, but I already know the answer… Remind me, for I forgot, what did Rumpelstiltskin ask you to bring him this time?"

The Hatter sighed as he saw anger flash in his wife's eyes which had darkened much like the storm at night. They'd had this conversation many times since he had attempted to retire from the Dark One's services but failed miserably. Every one of their discussion since, too, had been miserable failures. "I retrieved some fairy dust from Neverland for him…" he muttered and then sighed. "Please, Alice, must we do this every time…?"

The blonde woman moved her long braid behind her shoulders as she leaned on the table top to cover his hand with hers. "I see the fire in your eyes diminish each time you return from one of your _jobs_. Can you truly tell me that this is what you want to do with your life?"

Jefferson grimaced as he glanced at the hat that rested on the other end of their wooden table. It was true, his work was both a curse and a blessing in a most addictive way. "You know the answer to that question already…"

Alice nodded and squeezed his hand tight even as she felt him slipping from her. "Why do you do it if you so plainly don't want to?"

"Because… I'm staying alive this way," he explained with a shrug and desired nothing more than for his wife to drop the topic once and for all.

"There's a difference between staying alive and _living_."

Exasperated, Jefferson flew from his chair and ran a weary hand through his hair as he faced his wife once more. "Alright, you really want to know? I'm afraid to stop! Traveling between worlds and working for the highest bidder, which rarely are the good guys… it's _all I know_!"

"I refuse to believe that, Jefferson," Alice encouraged. "There's more to you than _'The Hatter'_… You're also a man."

"A man who can do _what_? _Hmm_?! I'm useless at _everything_, Alice!" the man cried and furiously turned his back to her.

"You know _many_ things. For starters, you have great skill with your hands. And don't forget your resourcefulness. Remember, I fell in love with _Jefferson_, not the Hatter. Because there was _so much to love_. And still is. Besides, we lead a simple life, we don't need gold to be happy!" the woman argued.

"Why can't you leave the topic alone?!" Jefferson huffed as he glanced back at her over his shoulder. "I can't do this now, you just don't understand…"

Alice straightened in her chair and set her eyes on his stiff shoulders. "I'm not letting you back out of this argument, Jefferson. Not until it is settled, and I don't care how long time it takes. You listen to me and listen good. If you stop, we can both be free at last. You make me happy, Jefferson, and that is _all_ I need in life. If that is not enough for you then I have a suggestion… What if you try being a father? I'm _pregnant_, Jefferson. We're going to have a child."

The man's stiff shoulders had Alice on edge for a few seconds as she couldn't read his reaction at all. Admittedly, she hadn't meant to tell him in this furious manner but her anger still boiled close to the surface and she was prepared to either laugh or cry depending on his response now.

Jefferson spun around to face her and Alice let out a breath of relief as she saw the wide grin on her husband's handsome face. "…A child?" he asked with a shaky voice and crossed the short distance swiftly to kneel by her side. He placed a hand on her still slim stomach as he gazed down at it in wonder. "Are you certain?"

Alice nodded. "I have not bled for ten weeks and I've been sick some of the mornings as of late… I believe so."

"… I'm so happy I don't know what to think," the Hatter breathed and pulled his beloved close for a tight embrace that held all his love for her in one breath. At once, he remembered their discussion prior to her news and he pulled back in a flash. "You're right. I don't want to bring my child up in a world of dark and dubious work. Now when it is real and before me… I know I must follow my heart. I want to change… no, I _have _to change for our little one. He or she should have a safe and happy life. It doesn't matter what I do, you're right. And I think fatherhood will be a good challenge for me. Besides, I've earned enough gold already to last years with our simple life."

"Thank you, dear…" Alice whispered as a tear of joy slid down her fair cheek. "And please remember that I'll always be here for you if you ever struggle with your choice, like I know you will always be here for me. It will be hard, but we can do it. _Together_."

Jefferson slowly stood from the ground as his face suddenly clouded with other, darker thoughts. He had celebrated too soon, he realized. With a grim expression, he said, "… We have one problem, though. Rumpelstiltskin won't let me go. You've heard him yourself. You remember, I assume, how afraid the Queen of Hearts made you in Wonderland? Rumpelstiltskin has the same hold over me. He'll kill me if I attempt to leave his services again. _Or worse_. What can we do?"

"We'll find a way, Jefferson. Good triumphs over evil, remember?" Alice reached out for his hand but he once more stepped back as doubt flashed in his pale eyes. She could see she was loosing him to the bitter defeat in his pale, clouded eyes. He'd surrendered and she didn't know how to pull him back from the depths of the abyss now.

Her husband shook his head and said in a low voice, "That's only true in a few, rare cases, my love. I just don't see how that luck will ever be ours."

* * *

Mr Gold looked up as the bell to his pawn shop chimed and stopped everything he was doing as he recognized the blonde woman in the open doorway. The woman's wide eyes reminded him of a deer caught in the headlights as they shone with despair and fear at him.

"You," he stated simply and waved a hand of encouragement for her to come inside. As the woman closed the door behind her, Gold pondered her sudden presence in his store. He'd been absolutely positive it would take much longer time for her to step out into the light and make herself known to him. Still, he was pleased she hadn't.

The woman turned back around and glared at him across the distance that separated them as she walked closer to him with slow steps. Gold noticed how she had her hands clutched tight by her side and her shoulders were unusually stiff for any human. Obviously she wasn't present by her own free will, which only made it all the more interesting for the store owner. Slowly, Gold stepped out from behind the counter and leaned against it as she came to a halt several feet away from him.

After a long minute in silence, she finally spoke in a dead voice, "Thank you for the rabbit." Gold shrugged and pursed his lips in amusement. "It was either to give it back to you, or make a good stew out of it. I'm still not sure I made the right choice..."

"Well, you're not getting him back. You can, however, have _this _back," she threw a small, metallic object through the air and Gold caught in deftly in his right hand. He looked down at the broken, worn clock and smirked.

"Thank you, Alice. I knew you'd understand."

"_Time_, Rumpelstiltskin?" a tear threatened to fall from her furious eyes. "Who else could be so cruel as to tease me with that? You were, after all, the one who robbed me of my time."

The older man shrugged as innocently as only a guilty man can. "I had to send a message to you somehow."

Alice glared at the man across the room. "Well, consider the message not received."

"I haven't even told you yet why I contacted you," Gold said as he curiously gazed at the woman's obvious discomfort and determinance.

"You're not going to either. I don't want to listen to you anymore," she said and her hands shook with barely controlled fury by her sides. She closed her eyes tight and slowly she began to explain her true despair. "He's been to my shop. Twice in two days… I can't do this."

"I know you can't," Gold said knowingly as an unkind grin spread on his face. "Still… that's not my problem."

"No," Alice admitted in a dark, spiteful voice and her eyes bore into the man opposite her. "But because of you, it's _my _problem."

* * *

"I must say, deary," Rumpelstiltskin cooed as he crossed his arms and leaned back against the trunk of a large oak in the forest, "you took me quite by surprise with this little, secret meeting. Who'd have known you were so… dubious?"

Alice remained silent as she looked across the distance at the Dark One with plain fear in her fair eyes. Rumpelstiltskin raised a hand as if pretending to have an epiphany and mockingly answered his own rhetorical question, "Oh, I know who… _Me_."

The woman's weary gaze remained locked with his as she spoke, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Of course you do… But never mind that now, deary!" Rumpelstiltskin commented as he pushed away from the tree and walked close towards her. As he circled around her, like a predator around its prey, he commented in a low voice, "I see you're expecting. _Congratulations_."

"I don't want your false compliments," she spat at him even as she put her arms protectively over her large stomach. She was only a few weeks from the end of her term and had chosen to have this meeting before rather than after giving birth. She wanted her beloved husband to be set free as their family expanded, so that their child would never know the darkness of magic.

Still, Rumpelstiltskin had been a hard man to find even despite her best attempts and she had been forced to wait this long to face him with her request. She simply hoped she had enough time to change the Dark One's mind.

"Let's cut straight to the chase, shall we?" Rumpelstiltskin whispered into her ear as he loomed behind her shoulder. "You're here to convince me to release the Hatter from my service. You're bold to attempt it again, even though I've already denied your husband that option. I wonder…. If I agree what will I get in exchange _from you_? I do nothing without a good deal for _me_."

Alice released a shaky breath as she said in a rushed voice, "If you release Jefferson from your services and promise to never work with him again in any way… I will give you anything you wish."

"_Anything_?"

"Within my power."

"Well, that greatly diminishes that claim, does it not? Besides, we both know your powers are not what they used to be…"

"You must also promise to never hurt him or our child. Do you accept my terms?" she asked and the Dark One simply hummed non-committedly. "_Name your price_."

"There's no time for negotiating, dear Alice. You're due."

The fair woman frowned up at the man in confusion. "What?"

Rumpelstiltskin glanced pointedly down at the woman's big stomach. "You're having your baby. I repeat my unwanted words; _Congratulations._"

Alice gasped as she gazed down and saw that her water had indeed broke. In surprise and shock, she turned her gaze back up to the evil monster before her.

"Well, since you give me no time to ponder the conditions, let us just say that you will owe me one until I think of a fitting price. I will leave your _growing family _in peace for now… But don't forget that I one day shall return and have you fulfil your end of our deal."

As Alice felt pain begin to invade her stomach, she managed to whisper a weak, "It is a deal then?"

"Yes. _Deal_… Ta!" he said and with a wave, Rumpelstiltskin disappeared in a flash.

* * *

Alice struggled as she staggered through the woods towards her home. It was not far now, yet the contractions were coming closer and her mind was swirling because of the pain. She leaned heavily against a tree as her strength gave in. With all the energy she could muster, she shouted, "_Jefferson_! Come quick!"

Her loud words echoed between the trees and she cried out in pain as another shot of pain flew through her lower stomach and back. A few minutes passed in silence until she was relieved to hear a rustle of feet through the leaves come closer and closer in her dirrection.

"_Alice_!" her husband's frightened voice rang out.

"I'm here!" she cried back and finally she saw the man come running up to join her side. His wide eyes expressed his fear and worry as he protectively grabbed hold of her shoulders and held her close as she collapsed against his chest.

"What is it? What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," Alice breathed shakily as she fisted his shirt in her hands and held him closer as she inhaled his familiar scent. It managed to calm her and keep her mind off the pain. "I'm having a baby… _We_ are having a baby. _Now._"

"We're having a… A baby? We're having a baby! We're having a _baby_ now!"

"…_Jefferson,_" Alice growled.

"_Oh_! We're having a baby _now_!" Jefferson breathed and swiftly lifted the woman into his arms. Though she was almost too heavy to carry in her current state, the man seemed to lift her as if she weighed nothing more than a feather. Without further ado, Jefferson staggered back with his wife towards their cottage. "Don't worry. All will be well…"

Alice glanced behind as her thoughts strayed to her conversation with Rumpelstiltskin and the dubious deal they had made at last. "I hope so, Jefferson… I hope so."

* * *

"Hey, Gold, I wanted to ask you-…," Emma began as she stepped into the pawn shop but stopped when she saw the strange woman before her. There was tension in the air as both Gold and the fair, blonde woman glanced back at her. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt anything. I can come back later if-"

"That's alright, Ms Swan. Stay," Gold assured even though the other woman grimaced as if in disagreement to this statement. The man turned back to the blonde woman and said, "I suppose you've heard the good news anyway?"

"What good news?"

"Mary Margaret and Emma's return, of course. Then again… That doesn't mean much to you, does it, Alice?" Gold commented slyly and not too kindly.

Emma frowned but refrained from making a comment. She realized that many things had obviously trainspired in Storybrooke during her absence. This was another one of those moments in which she realized she still knew too little about their fairy tale world, despite having now spent time in it, to comprehend all the twists and turns of the characters' complicated relationships. That Gold seemed to have another enemy in this Alice woman was, however, far from a surprise to Emma.

Gold tilted his head sideways as he asked the strange woman, "You don't dwell with the others here in Storybrooke. You prefer to keep to yourself, don't you?"

"You know my past," Alice hissed. "Don't tell me you're suddenly surprised?"

"Not at all," the man cooed back. "…I'm rather pleased, actually."

The woman huffed. "Well, you're a heartless monster. I'd expect nothing less from you."

"Glad to hear I'm living up to your expectations."

"I doubt you'll ever stop. Are we done here?"

"Far from it, deary," Gold said and a small smile played at the corner of his thin lips.

Alice seemed to lose all momentum as her shoulders slumped and her determination vanished from her wide eyes. In a desperate voice, she pleaded, "Why won't you just leave me alone…? You've already taken _everything_ from me. I've given you back your clock, and that was all I had left to give. I don't care for your reasons behind any of this, all I care about is being left alone once more. I'll keep to myself if you stop interrupting my life. Deal?"

Gold shook his head. "_No deal_."

* * *

_To be continued._

* * *

_Feeback is always appreciated! Leave a review and let me know what you think, s'il vous plait! Thanks! Next chapter will come shortly._


	9. The Death of Alice

**9. The Death of Alice**

"Grace…? Are you playing hide and seek with Lewis again?" Jefferson whispered as he crawled after his three year old daughter in the early hours of the morning. He glanced back up at the large bed in which Alice was still sleeping soundly and then continued crawling in his daughter's small steps. "Where did you go?"

A giggle sounded from within the closet and a wide grin spread on the man's face as he pretended to search for his young daughter beneath the table and the chairs. He heard the giggle increase as he lifted a vase with bright lilies and scratched his head when he couldn't find her beneath it.

"Could she be… _In here!"_ Jefferson whispered as he pulled open the closet door and pulled out his fair, little girl who held Lewis in her gentle grasp. Grace squealed in delight as her father swung her around and then quieted when he signed for her to be silent.

"Quiet, dear…" he whispered. "Your mother is still sleeping."

"I want to see!" Grace mock-whispered and her father immediately carried his child over to the bed as per her instructions. She snuck beneath the covers and put the rabbit on the covers beside her as Jefferson crawled onto the bed and wrapped an arm around his daughter. Together, the two of them beheld the peacefully sleeping Alice.

"She's beautiful…" Grace whispered and reached out to move a loose strand of long, wavy hair that rested across her mother's face.

Jefferson nodded and kissed his daughter's chubby cheek. "Yes, she is. As are you, Grace."

* * *

Alice wrapped her grey cardigan closer around her thin frame as she walked down the main road in the small town. A strong wind blew at her and she shivered from the cold that snuck its way into her very core. She gazed ahead and her eyes were drawn to the familiar figure on the other side of the road. For a second she froze in place before her mind alerted her of the dangers of remaining where she was. Without thinking, Alice threw herself into the closest building, the library, to hide.

She walked further in between the bookshelfs and gazed out through the window to the other side of the road where the young girl walked with her school bag thrown lazily across one shoulder. The girl stopped on the corner right across from the library and gazed both left and right before she sat down on a bench to wait.

Alice's heart constricted as she reached out a hand and pressed it against the window. She wished her simple gesture could bring her closer to the child who did not know she stood there, hidden in the shadows.

Suddenly a throat cleared in the room behind her and the blonde woman jumped. She turned and saw the familiar face of the brunette beauty who had entered her story the other day. The woman was dressed in a chic, short dress and high heels as a kind, yet hesitant smile played on her fair features.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."

"That's alright," Alice breathed as her heart settled down within her chest. "You're… Belle, right? I suppose I owe you an apology for the way I treated you the other day."

Belle shrugged and smiled kindly. "That's fine. I'm sure you had your reasons…"

"I'm Alice," the woman held out a hand and Belle eagerly shook it. "And please, forgive me. Ever since the curse lifted, I've been slightly… _paranoid_."

"You're not the only one," Belle smiled reassuringly and stepped over to Alice's side. The two women gazed out at the girl on the bench for a short while as silence hung in the air. At length, Belle slowly turned to her new friend and asked, "… Do you know her? The girl, I mean."

Alice nodded and inhaled as she admitted, "She is… _was_ my daughter back home. _Grace_… She's beautiful, isn't she?"

A lone tear fell from her eyes and trickled down her pale cheek. The admission had been hard for her and Alice quickly wiped at the wet path down her face. Belle wordlessly handed her a tissue and the blonde woman accepted it with a frail thank you.

"I'm guessing you're not out there with her because the two of you are kept apart in this world for some reason?" The brunette asked tentatively. "Even now when the curse is broken?"

Alice sniffled and nodded as she gazed at Grace. In that second, the person she had been awaiting arrived and the woman watched as Jefferson sat down by his daughter's side. There was still a look of apprehension and confusion in his pale eyes but he managed to smile down at Grace nonetheless. The latter happily threw her arms around his neck in a loving embrace and the man's features turned relieved as if all was well again with the world.

Alice sighed and turned from the heartwarming scene for it did nothing but break her own beating heart which had been carefully repaired several times in the past. She was certain her heart would not make it for long if she was not left to her lonely existence once more. At least far from all of it, she could deal with her own pain and pretend it was weaker and more insigificant than it truly was.

"Some deals transcended the curse," she whispered at last in response to the earlier question..

"A _deal_?" Belle frowned and pondered the woman's choice of words. "You're not saying that you…?"

Alice simply nodded as the beauty's words faded unfinished. With a frail, broken voice, she explained what she had for a long time kept hidden, "I struck a deal with Rumpelstiltskin to save my husband… and I can never be with my husband or daughter again because of it."

* * *

"Will you pour me some more tea, darling?" Alice asked and her warm eyes shone with happiness at her daughter who sat on the other side of the table. The four year old skipped from her chair with the empty tea pot in hand and pretended to refil her mother's empty cup. Alice thanked her child and then proceeded to take a sip of the makebelieve beverage.

Grace, meanwhile, walked over to the third seat and proceeded to refil Lewis' cup also as the rabbit munched on a carrot and payed her little heed. The small girl patted the soft rabbit before returning to her seat.

"You make excellent tea," Alice said admiredly. "You must tell me your secret, Grace."

Grace pretended to be hurt by this request. "A master tea maker never reveals her secrets."

The mother repressed a grin when suddenly the door opened and Jefferson stepped inside. His eyes were vacant and the woman immediately sent her daughter into the backyard to play with the white rabbit.

When they were left alone, Alice helped her husband to a chair and as he sat down, she knelt by his side. "Jefferson? What is it? Please, tell me what's wrong!"

"He's back… I don't understand. He left us alone for such a long time… why is he back now?" Jefferson's confusion was almost matched by his despair. "I never understood why he left us alone, but I understand even less why he has returned."

"_Who?_" Alice asked with a despairing frown. A part of her, however, already knew the answer and dreaded it like the plague. Still, there was nothing to be done to avoid the truth.

"Rumpelstiltskin, of course. He says he has work for me. What do I do, Alice?" His pale eyes shone with honest fear as he sank further into his seat. "What _can_ I do? I have to work for him…"

...

* * *

Alice rushed through the forest as her mind rebelled. Not long after Jefferson had told her the news, she had excused herself and hurried to find Rumpelstiltskin. Her husband had still been so distressed that he had not noticed her sudden departure.

Now, as she was almost atop the mount where she had met the Dark One years ago, one thought alone sped through her mind. There could be only one reason why Rumpelstiltskin was back now.

She reached the top of the hill and breathed hard as she gazed across the distance. As she had feared, the dark monster already waited for her on the other end. As he noticed her, Rumpelstiltskin pushed away from a tree and stepped closer into the small clearing.

"I knew you'd find me," he cooed with a wicked grin.

The blonde woman ignored the darkness in his gaze as she furiously crossed the distance between them with a loud, "You said you wouldn't employ Jefferson again!"

"And I won't… if you fulfil your end of our deal."

Alice vigorously shook her head. She'd come at last to the inevitable crossroad of her destiny and she had to follow through with the choice she had already made. Despite this knowledge, the thought frighetened her and she pleaded, "Give me more time with my family! My daughter is still so young! Whatever you wish of me, can't it wait? _Please_!"

The Dark One merely shook his head as if her heartbreak did not touch the frost around his heart even the slightest. "Sorry, deary! A deal is a deal and I've come for my payment_._ If you refuse, I'll have to go back on my end of the deal."

The blonde woman eyed her foe with disbelief in her wide, frightened gaze. "…How can anyone be so cruel?"

"Well, it was sort of in the job description," Rumpelstiltskin shrugged his shoulders in an innocent air as he stepped closer into her personal space.

"I'm just asking for a little more time…" the woman pleaded meekly.

"I've given you four years, that's more than enough. Time's up," he said laughtily and then his attitude changed into one more suitable for business. "Your offer, last time, of giving me anything you could give me was more than a little enticing, I admit…"

Alice frowned as she beheld the curious, dark man before her. "_Why_? I don't see what you possibly want with me. There's _nothing_ I can offer you; no gold or power… no matter how much I wish him free from your grasp. Wishing isn't enough with you, is it?"

"No," the man agreed. "However… You're not quite telling the truth, are you, deary? I know your family. The powers of magic in your blood. You're keeping quite the secret, aren't you?"

Alice simply shook her head as she denied his claim, "I'm not who you think I am."

"I concur. You're more powerful than that."

"I don't have _any_ powers. I told you. I'm nobody," she said and held her ground.

"… True. But you didn't use to be '_nobody'_," Rumpelstiltskin pressed on and there was an evil twinkle in his unsettling gaze.

At last, the blonde woman sighed in defeat. He wouldn't let her off the hook, no matter how hard she denied it now. She could run no more. With a slow voice, she admitted, "That was a _long _time ago. I've turned from that path."

"As far as I heard, it wasn't voluntary," glee shone in his eyes at the confession he'd finally received. It seemed he deemed it to be a cause for celebration, though the woman couldn't for the life of her read the intentions behind this.

Alice shrugged. "It was for the best. I'm happier now. Losing my powers gave me a chance to change… I'm doing _good_ now."

"But it doesn't change the fact that the magic is still in your blood," Rumpelstitskin said as he placed his calloused hands on her slim shoulders. For a second it seemed he attempted to sense the magic within her but soon his hands fell away. "Somewhere deep inside."

Alice huffed, "You should know that's not the case. And even if it was, I don't want it anymore."

"We agree then," Rumpelstiltskin's dark grin grew as if a second mighty victory had just been won. "I don't want your magic released in our realms either."

The woman frowned as a worried tingle entered the back of her mind. With fury and fear in her words, she hissed, "What are you suggesting?! Stop playing games and speak out loud. What do you really want from me?"

"You want to know my terms? It's simple. I want you to leave this realm," Rumpelstiltskin paused and let his words sink in before he went in for the kill, "Oh, and you can never look upon your dear husband or child again."

Despair was the only thing that remained on her features now that both anger and confusion had been abruptly torn asunder. Alice wet her lips and tested her voice, "…What?"

"These are my terms. If I am never to meddle with the Hatter… neither are you. No real contact can be made with him by either of us."

Alice shook her head frantically. "That's unfair!"

Rumpelstiltskin shrugged tiredly. "It's a _deal_, dear. It can hardly be unfair… It's just not in your favor."

"You can't take me away from them! _I love them_! They need me… think of my daughter, _please_!"

"_Those are my terms_. Remember, you told me I could ask for _anything_. This is what I have chosen. …Oh, and don't worry about the details, dear Alice. I'm going to help you escape into another realm, one you _know _he will never set foot in again."

Fear gripped the woman tightly as she took a step back from the man. He didn't need to say the word outloud for she read it plainly in his malicious gaze. "…I don't want to go back! I managed to escape… I will _not_ go there again!"

"You must. A deal is a deal! Or would you like to make our deal undone?"

Alice shook her head with a ferver. "No! There's no going back. …Promise me that you will never sway Jefferson's mind _ever_ again. I will go if you do. As long as you are aware that if you ever do anything to my husband or daughter, I will find a way back and I _will_ make you _pay_. I was once powerful, I can be it again."

"Yes, yes!" Rumpelstitskin waved his hand as if bored by her words. "I've heard your warning but there is no need to fret! I don't break my deals."

"Then I will accept your terms…" Alice said and with that felt she had determined her destiny and locked away her fate. All would fall to ruin for her now, but it would be worth it if it kept her family safe and sound. There was no room to hesitate or question the decision made. She could but do and be done with it.

"There is one thing, however. If you simply send me to Wonderland, Jefferson will never stop looking for me and will eventually find me. For obvious reasons, that's something neither you nor I can deal with. …My sudden disappearance needs to be one that leaves no doubt in his mind that I will never return."

"Oh, deary," the Dark One grinned. "That's right in my field of expertise… I told you. Don't worry about the details. I have it all sorted out."

* * *

Jefferson opened the large door to the library with a mild frown. Belle, Rumpelstiltskin's beloved girlfriend, had walked over to Jefferson and Grace as the two had been chatting out on a bench. The brunette had come with a strange proposition for him; She had offered to take his daughter for a cup of hot cocoa at Granny's while he settled some business in her library. She'd given him no further explanation to this odd suggestion.

And Jefferson had always thought she was sane when she was locked away in the asylum… Perhaps he was wrong.

As the man walked further into the library, he glanced between the bookshelfs for anything to explain his presence there today. As he reached the corner in the back, the man paused.

With her back against a shelf, with her eyes downcast, stood Alice and her shoulders were slumped as if she had lost all strength. Jefferson grimaced as he wasn't sure whether to yell or walk away. At the moment, the latter option seemed most alluring.

"Please don't tell Grace I left her because I didn't love her anymore…" her fragile voice stopped him from taking door number two.

Jefferson shrugged his eyebrows. He wasn't in the mood for this curious woman to misbehave anymore. She'd shunned him three times already, it didn't make any sense why she had decided to change the tables on him all the sudden. "Okay… _Why_? It's the truth, isn't it?"

"It's not! You think this is my choice?!" the woman suddenly exploded and in her ocean-colored eyes danced a wild hurricane as she raised her gaze to lock with his at last. It seemed the strength she had lost had not been to fight but rather to withhold the truth. "_These were his terms!"_

Tension settled in the air like a thick fog as Jefferson's scrambled thoughts tugged on his mind in every direction at once. The silence was deafening as the man finally managed a weak, "…_'Terms'_? What did you do, Alice?"

Her eyes widened as she realized her little slip of the tongue and the woman closed her eyes tight. Jefferson couldn't understand the pain that flashed across her face with her sudden grimace. "I can't discuss this with you, I've already said too much."

The man shook his head in plain disagreement. "You haven't said enough."

"You don't understand-"

"_Rumpelstiltskin_," Jefferson breathed as realization hit him like a punch to the face. "This is _his_ doing?"

"I can't-"

"You made a deal with him?!" the man hollered as he moved from one clarity to another. Fury blinded him from both logic and sense and without waiting for an answer, Jefferson turned on his heel and rushed out of the library.

* * *

"Hey, Grace!" Henry called as the girl entered the café and headed towards him where he sat in one of the booths. Behind her, Belle entered and she looked about at the people in the small café. In the same booth as Henry sat Emma, Mary Margaret and David, apparently enjoining a family lunch to celebrate their recent reunion.

Belle's eyes, however, were soon drawn from the happy family as she saw the familiar figure on one of the red bar stools and walked over to him. Gold smiled warmly at her as she sat down beside him.

"I got your message, Belle. What did you want to see me about?" the man asked.

"Listen…I…" the brunette wasn't quite sure how to address the issue she'd just learned about. As she tried to find the right words, the door to Granny's café suddenly flew open with a bang as Jefferson stepped inside.

The man's mads gaze immediately found Gold and with a threatening hand, Jefferson pointed at him. "_You_. We need to talk. _Now!_"

"What's this about?" Gold asked in mock-confusion.

"It's alright, I know this man!" Belle defended the furious Hatter. "That's why I wanted to see you, Gold. I had to ask… why did you separate them?"

Gold frowned and shrugged as he stood from the seat and leaned on his cane. "Belle, I can't answer-"

Jefferson crossed the short distance with two large strides and grabbed hold of Gold's collar. He pulled the other man close to his face as he asked in blind rage, "I'll ask you the same question your _darling_ here just asked… though I fear I'll do it with less finess."

Without another word of warning, Jefferson suddenly lifted his foe and threw him heavily on top of the counter as if he weighed nothing more than a child. Ruby gasped and stepped back as several glasses, along with Gold's cane, tumbled to the floor and broke by her feet.

"Daddy!" Grace called, but her worried shout fell on deaf ears.

"_Why?!" _Jefferson hollered as he held the other man down. "_You ruined me_!"

"_Hey_!" Emma called as she rushed forward to break up the fight. David helped pull Jefferson off of the smaller man. The prince could still feel Jefferson's muscles tense as if preparing to strike again, much like a cat on the prowl.

"Calm down!" David urged the mad man and Jefferson shrugged out of his grip.

The man walked back and forth a couple of steps as his glare remained on Gold. His anger was almost touchable as it simmered in the air between them all. At last, Jefferson turned his gaze to Emma who stood with one foot before Mr Gold to protect him as he smoothed the wrinkles in his suit.

"This is between Gold and I… Stay out of this, Ms Swan!"

"Actually," Gold began as he received his cane from Ruby and once more leaned on it as if he had no care in the world. His face was impassive and it was plain he had fully recollected himself after the sudden attack. "There's _nothing_ between you and I that must be cleared."

"You took her from me!" Jefferson once more pointed his finger at the sneaky man and was just about to lunge for him once more when David's hands shot up to hold him in place. "I thought she died by your hands, but it was all a lie! How could you lie to me?"

"Woah, _woah_…" Emma held up her hands in a sign for both men to calm down. She glanced from Mr Gold to the furious Hatter before her. "How about we take this from the start, shall we? _Who_ died?"

"_My wife!_" Jefferson growled.

...

* * *

"Had enough time to ponder my proposition? It's time to return to your work, isn't it… _Hatter_?" Rumpelstiltskin asked as he walked into the backyard where Jefferson was about to chop some firewood for the cottage. The other man dropped the axe to the ground and then glanced behind him at his house. He knew Grace was having a nap with Lewis, but still he had hoped this encounter would be held far from home in order to protect his family.

Jefferson sighed as he took a step towards the Dark One. "Do I have any choice?"

"_Jefferson, don't!_" Alice voice cried from the backdoor and he heard it slam shut as she ran over to him. She gripped his arm tight and her wide eyes pleaded with him to stay. "You don't have to do this… _Please_, don't work for him."

"Now, now… Don't listen to your wife, Hatter," the Dark One said as the twinkle in his eyes turned impatient. "You _know_ you have no choice."

"_There is always a choice!_" the blonde woman shouted and her seering gaze bore into their enemy as she stepped in front of her husband. "Listen, Jefferson… We've talked about this. _Please_. Don't. …For Grace."

"My patience is wearing thin…" Rumpelstiltskin's sing-song voice stood in stark contrast to the dark meaning of his words.

Jefferson looked into the pleading eyes of his beloved and inhaled deeply. She was right, things had to end. "You heard my wife. I can't return to your services."

"Excuse me?" a storm seemed to build up in the Dark One as something dangerous flashed in his eyes. "Are you… ending our acquaintance? Are you attempting to deny me this?"

The Hatter nodded as he stretched tall in an attempt to seem as convinced as he wasn't. "Yes."

"You can't be serious…?" Rumplestiltskin asked with a grimace.

"I am…"

"But we've had a business agreement for years, Hatter," the Dark One spoke as he took one step closer to the man and his wife. "You can't just stop working for me. As you are well aware. There are _consequences_ to every choice we make. If _this_ is your choice… I'm afraid there's only one thing for me to do."

As Rumpelstitskin finished, he held out his open palm and before either Alice or Jefferson could react, a knife shimmered into his hand by use of purple mist. As soon as it took soldid form, the Dark One hurled the weapon through the air. Jefferson had no time to act or react as he saw the knife hit his wife square in the chest. Alice staggered and fell back against her husband's frame as her breaths came in short gasps.

"No, no… Please, _no_," the man muttered as he sank down to the ground with his fading wife in his arms. He held her torso close to his as he pressed a hand to the bleeding wound on her chest. The dagger protruded from her heart and he already saw her skin turn pale as the front of her dress turned red. "Alice, stay with me… Don't leave us. I'll fix this… Just, plea-"

"D-don't…" Alice gasped in a frail voice as the blood oozed from the wound. "_Live_, Jefferson… Tell Grace… I…"

Her struggling words died on her lips as she fell limp in the man's trembling arms. As he pleaded with her, Jefferson gently shook her shoulders but to no avail. He couldn't wake his beloved wife and her unseeing eyes gazed up at him through the emptiness of death. Tears rolled down his cheeks as he pulled her body closer to his own. Jefferson didn't even bother to control his sobs as he realized he had been robbed from his life in one, sweeping motion. What had been so hard to obtain had been so easily lost, and he knew he would never find it again.

"I told you… you shouldn't have refused," Rumplestiltskin interrupted the moment with his ignorant words. "Well? Will you _kindly_ work for me now?"

"… It's over," Jefferson whispered with a voice that was entirely void of strength. One of his hands gently patted his wife's hair as he leaned his forehead against his own.

"Come again?" Rumpelstiltskin asked with a frown.

Jefferson's voice was frail as he looked up at his former employer and repeated, "It's over, Rumpelstiltskin. I won't do this anymore and it doesn't matter what you threaten me with. You've taken my wife from me… I can't continue working for you. Consider this my official retirement. I'm done travelling between worlds. I'm going to put my hat away. _For good_. Do you hear me? You can tell Regina and everyone else that I'm out of the game."

The Dark One's grin was wide as he nodded. "If you say so, Hatter."

"No …It's just Jefferson now."

...

* * *

Further into the forest, Alice gazed down at the events that transpired in her backyard. It had felt weird seeing the duplicate of her that Rumpelstiltskin had created by using a strand of her hair, and that emotion had ten-folded when she had seen the other version of her meet such a grim fate. The blonde woman raised a hand to her chest as if this could stop her heart from breaking and leaned heavily against a tree trunk.

"I'm sorry…" she whispered as her thoughts reached out to her husband. "Please take care of our child. You'll be fine one day…"

"Let's cut the saddened monologue short, shall we?" Rumpelstiltskin whispered into her ear and she jumped in surprise.

Alice dried her tears as she turned around to face him. "So it's done…?"

"Oh, yes," the Dark One smirked. "He's done. Let's not waste any more time." with those words, he grabbed hold of her sleeve and for a second Alice was consumed in a think mist. When the mist cleared, she realized he had transported them to another forest, one she knew very well.

As the full impact of her decision hit her mind, she held her breath in despair as she followed Rumpelstiltskin past rows and rows of trees. He at last stopped and Alice hesitantly walked up to join him.

Together, the two of them gazed at the dark tree before them. The bottom of its trunk was blown away and the blackened ashes were the only evidence that remained from the display of power that once had transpired there. Deep in the hole in the tree, Alice saw a sparkle of purple meet her eyes.

"Down you go again, Alice," Rumpelstitskin whispered as he tugged on the woman's sleeve. She reluctantly stepped towards the tree on heavy legs as her thoughts reached out to her husband and child one last time. Silently, she hoped they could forgive her for her choice and that all would be worth it. They would never know the truth, but maybe it was for the best after all. Her life was over, but theirs could truly begin now that they had a chance at life in peace.

"Send my best to the Queen of Hearts," Rumpelstiltskin whispered as the dark grin widened on his face.

With those as the parting words, Alice drew a shuddering breath and stepped into the tree.

* * *

As she crawled out from the rabbit hole, the woman sat on the muddy ground and gazed about her at the forest in the familiar, curious kingdom. _Wonderland_. How she hated this world and all in it. From a distance, she heard the sounds of soldiers on patrol in the dark woods and closed her eyes tight.

A lone tear rolled from the corner of her eyes as Alice mourned the loss of the happy life she had lived and would never see again.

* * *

_To be continued._

_Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed! Leave a review if you want to let me know what you think!_


	10. The Truth Shall Set You Free?

**10. The Truth Shall Set You Free?**

"Is he telling the truth? … Gold?" Emma asked as she turned to face the man behind her.

Gold simply shrugged but refrained from even making a comment on the subject. Emma frowned at his mysterious silence, she was used to Gold's eloquent speeches or fairy tale explanations. Somehow this mute approach felt more serious than any other response he could have given. Perhaps silence was gold, this time.

"Rumpelstiltskin… _Please,_" Belle half-pleaded, half-ordered and her low voice was bold and brave as she faced her loved one.

Jefferson frowned down at the fair brunette as his fury was slowly replaced by confusion. "_Why_ are you taking my side?"

"Because you helped me reunite with my love…" Belle explained with a kind smile as she looked back up at the man. "I simply want to return that favor."

"Fine…" Gold said and his shoulders slumped as he gazed at the brunette by his side. With a heavy sigh, he turned back to the sheriff. "It is the truth, Ms Swan."

"Why are you telling me?" Emma asked with a frown and then waved her hand in the direction of the mad man. "Tell _him_."

"_I can't_," the older man sighed once more and glanced briefly at Jefferson before he turned back to Belle. "You've spoken with Alice, I presume? What did she tell you?"

The brunette shrugged in confusion, "She, eh… She told me you made a deal with her and that she can't be reunited with her husband and daughter because of it. But that's _all_ I know."

"…_So it is true_," Jefferson growled and had to shrug off David's restraining hands once more. "I'm not going to pounce Gold again. Back off, man! Go be _charming_ some other place!"

"Let's _everyone_ calm down," Mary Margaret slowly suggested as she stood by her husband's side. "One death today is enough, don't you think?"

"What? Because the cricket is dead, I'm supposed to accept that Rumpelstiltskin is keeping me apart from my wife?!" Jefferson asked with a most unkind frown. With a sarcastic huff, he finished, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to rain on your parade, _princess_."

David's eyes flashed with anger as he stepped up to defend Mary Margaret. "Don't take your anger out on my wife, Hatter!"

"So now you _want_ me to rage on Gold?!" The man shouted and to this neither David nor Mary Margaret had an answer. Jefferson gazed between the two until his gaze landed on the fair, short haired woman. "Don't belittle me just because you got your happily ever after. You'd react _exactly_ like me if you were in my shoes. I thought my wife was dead for six years before and twenty-eight years during the curse. Forgive me for being shocked to find her alive here in Storybrooke but unwilling to see me. No, not unwilling – _unable. _I wish I had figured out it was you sooner, Gold. Tell me _everything_. I need to know."

Gold's voice was low and soft as he spoke, "I _can't_ tell you anything. The deal forbids both me and your wife from speaking to you about it. That is _all _I can tell you."

Jefferson shook his head as fury was rekindled in his pale eyes. "Not good enough."

"Sorry," Gold shrugged and the air of indifference he exuberated seemed only to enhance the mad man's malcontent. "I can't break a deal."

"Break this one," The other man ordered, though in his eyes burned no flame of anger. There was only a desperate sparkle left in his ocean-coloured orbs.

The pawn shop owner shook his head once. "Can't."

Mary Margaret stepped in between the two arguing men and looked from one to the other as she suggested, "There must be a way to undo it then? The deal, I mean."

"Deals are not made to be broken or undone, dear," Gold whispered. "They're _eternal_."

"It's my _wife_…" Jefferson pleaded. "I _need _her back. I don't want our story to end here."

"I'm afraid it has to… Cause there's nothing I can do for you now."

"Fine… _Fine_," Jefferson fumed. "If you won't do anything, I'll find someone who will."

With those as his parting words, the former Hatter stormed out of the store and the others looked at him go.

From her seat in the booth at the café, Grace solemnly watched as her father disappeared further down the road until he was entirely out of sight.

* * *

"Big sale in ye olde tea shop, huh?"

Alice looked up at the stranger that stood in the middle of her shop while gazing intently at her. The man was tall and slender yet seemed handsomely built beneath his loose outfit. His deep, blue eyes stood in stark contrast to his short, dark hair. The stranger wore casual clothes and Alice's eyes were immediately drawn to the fact that he only seemed to possess one hand. It was either that, or he was hiding the second one deep within the sleeve of his dark coat.

The man smiled at her and Alice was struck by the notion that he might be hitting on her. With a too suave stroll, he casually glanced around at the pots and cups on the shelves as he walked closer to her. "You got a lot of tea pots, haven't you? Any personal favourite?"

"… All of them. And none of them," the blonde woman said and tried to restrain her suspicious frown. A tingle down her spine told her this man wasn't here to seduce her so much physically as mentally. She tried racking her brain, but she couldn't remember ever having met this handsome stranger even in her fairytale land. Clearly, however, there was a hidden agenda here that she needed to understand before being unwillingly reeled in.

"All and none? That's rather… _curious_, don't you think? How's that even done?"

Alice decided to bite the bullet. "… Do I know you?"

"No," the man smirked and winked. "I'm a… friend of a friend, so to speak."

"I don't have friends in this town…" Alice said slowly as her mind came to full alert and made her stand tall and stiff.

"Who said it was from Storybrooke?" the suave man countered and the smirk grew as he leaned towards her over the counter top.

The woman froze as her mind tried to process the meaning of his words. She knew who she suspected… but a part of her refused to even admit that fear to herself.

"I've heard a lot about you… _Alice in Wonderland_. Sounds so catchy, don't you agree?"

The blonde woman decided not to beat around the bush and stay on the straightest path. "What do you want?"

"Just a chat, love, that's all," the man shrugged. "How's business, Alice? I mean… are you really satisfied in this rabbit hole? Don't you wish you could be a bit more… _powerful_?"

"Who are you? Really, I mean?" Alice asked with a frown.

"Name's Killian," the man winked once more as his devilish smile returned. "But you probably know me by another name. Irrelevant, however! What's important is our mutual friend."

"I'm certain we have no mutual friend…"

'Killian', as he had killed himself, shrugged and lazily leaned against the counter. "Mutual _enemy_, then. Though… I wouldn't admit that to her face."

Alice's face fell as she pushed away from the counter. She watched as the smile grew on the man's face as if he had struck jackpot. His attempts to make her read the truth had been made painstakingly clear and the woman swallowed her fears.

"I think it's time you left," Alice managed. "Whatever you want, I don't want to listen."

"I don't want anything… the question is, what do _you_ want?"

"I certainly don't want anything to do with _her_."

"She said you would say that… And she also said you'd keep the knowledge of her return a secret. Won't you?"

"Get out," Alice threatened in a low voice.

Killian raised his hands in defeat. "Oh, relax, sweetheart. I'm going. Just remember, keep it a secret or expect the worst. You know the rest of the threats, I suppose…"

With a final wink, the handsome stranger backed out of the store and Alice exhaled in fear.

Not a second later, however, the door opened again and Jefferson stepped inside. He jerked a thumb behind him as he frowned at the blonde woman in the back. "Who was that…? He seemed _vaguely_ familiar."

Alice shrugged with a sigh. "I don't know… Does it really matter?"

"Guess not," Jefferson trailed off. He cleared his throat as his mind came to a complete halt. He wasn't entirely certain how to address his wife now that he knew about the deal she had made with Rumpelstiltskin in a world that felt so distant now. The knowledge had changed everything and his world was suddenly upside down. On top of it all, he had no idea how to fix things either. In a desperate attempt to keep talking, he said, "So… I saw the sign in the window. Big sale, huh?"

Alice caught on to his attempt and nodded. "Yeah… I have to. Business is tough, you know."

"Yep. Mhm," the man said as his patience started to wear thin. Nonsense had been the wrong path of conversation, he realized. At once he knew exactly what he needed from his wife; that she offered him the truth without him having to push for it.

Alice, meanwhile, was more than content to talk of utter nonsense and happily went on, "I don't think I've sold a single tea pot since the curse broke. Well, that's not entirely true. I've sold two cups to Dr….what's his name? Whale?... _Walrus_?"

"… So this is how it's going to be from now on?" Jefferson asked and Alice faltered in surprise as she heard the passive aggression on his tongue. Without hesitation, the man furiously shouted, "_Let's just ignore the elephant in the tea shop, shall we_!"

Alice was silent for a second as the echo died out in the shadows between the shelves all around the shop. Finally, she cleared her throat and awkwardly commented, "…Funny."

"I try," Jefferson growled and stuck his chin out in a desperate show of grim determination that reminded the woman of a stubborn child. He closed his eyes tight as he struggled to contain his anger and reign in his emotions like a wild horse. With a sigh, he confessed, "Listen. I… talked to Gold."

"…Oh."

Hesitantly, the man stepped further into the small room. "I know about the deal and how it keeps us apart. I need to hear the truth. I need to hear it_ from you_."

Alice sighed as she leaned against the wall behind her. "I'm assuming you're blatantly refusing to listen to the part where I _can't_ tell you anything."

Jefferson shrugged. "…Tell me anyway."

For the first time since being reunited, Alice's pale eyes lingered on his for more than a flash. The pained look showed him a broken soul and Jefferson stepped even closer still, drawn towards her like a moth to a flame. The man felt confusion, anger and love rip at his own broken soul and he stopped.

As he gazed ahead at his wife, he suddenly only saw the truth in her eyes. This woman had made a deal with the most powerful creature and abandoned her husband and child. Try as he might, Jefferson couldn't figure out a reason that could ever be good enough for such a thing. He knew she wouldn't offer any explanation either, and so his mind pondered all the options he could think of for how they ever got to this place.

A plan took form in his frail mind. He clearly remembered the woman he had married and how she had never approved of false accusations, he could only hope his fears were indeed proven wrong by her. And so, with a determined breath, Jefferson spoke his accusations out loud, "I can't, for the life of me, understand how you could fake your death and leave me and our daughter. I missed you terribly! There was a hole in my soul but I pretended to be whole for her, _our child_… There was never a day that went by that I did not feel incomplete and insufficient to care for Grace without you there beside me! It was so clear to me that something was missing from us and it was _you_! We missed _you_! But… you just left!"

"I had to!" Alice defended and Jefferson felt a little relief at the anger that sparked in her ocean-coloured eyes.

"_Why?!_" he questioned.

"Because I loved you!" her voice quaked as she continued, "Don't ever make the mistake of thinking I have not thought of you and Grace every day since we parted! I didn't want to do it, but I was given no choice!"

"There's always a choice, Alice!" the man hissed. "It wasn't even hard for you, was it? Your words are noble, but they're not true, are they…? You made a deal to get away from us. Why? Didn't you love us?"

"You're just asking that because you're hurting," Alice sighed and with a defeat look faced the man. "… Fine. How about this. Think about it, Jefferson. Just think about it for a second. It'll come to you."

The man frowned and leaned against one of the shelves as he pondered her words. Why was this so obvious? Jefferson exhaled and cleared his thoughts in an attempt to remember those last fatal days before his wife's death… Their little family had been beyond happy in the cottage. Then, the Dark One had re-appeared after four years away…

Jefferson's eyes flew up to meet Alice's again. "Wait… That time when I wanted to leave Rumpelstiltskin's services, but he refused to let me go… then all the sudden stopped coming. That was because of _you_? … You bought my freedom? _That's_ why you made a deal with Rumplestiltskin?"

Alice sighed as she pushed away from the wall and walked around the counter to be closer to the man who was clearly not holding it together for much longer. With a pleading voice, she explained, "I wanted you to have a chance at life. You wanted to be good and retire in peace."

Jefferson felt a lump form in his throat. "I did… _With you_. Not without. Alice, I…"

The blonde woman placed a gentle hand on the man's chest as she said, "I knew Rumple would ask for a lot in return of my request, but he didn't specify his conditions when the deal was struck before Grace's birth. Instead he returned four years later, the day I…"

"…Died?" Jefferson begrudgingly offered.

Alice nodded. "In a way, yes. Rumpelstiltskin didn't return to employ you, but to give me his terms and make me uphold our deal then and there. He refused to give me any more time. His terms were basically the same as mine. I can't ever be with you or my daughter or I break the deal… I can't have anything to do with you. Can't you see how that breaks my heart?"

Jefferson exhaled as he listened to her explanation. He felt the last remains of his walls begin to crumble as the truth found its way into his heart. "So you didn't die…?"

"Rumpelstiltskin staged what you saw, it was all fake. It wasn't even my body," Alice shrugged. "I had to 'die', don't you see? If I had simply disappeared you would have searched for me. Had I lied and told you I didn't love you anymore, you would have seen right through it. I just didn't see any other way to do it."

"And what happened to you?"

The woman grimaced. "Another one of his terms was that I had to leave our realm. The Dark One sent me to… Wonderland."

"You were sent _back_? Geez…" Jefferson gently rubbed his wife's arm as he saw the pain flicker in her eyes. "You're the only one who hated that place more than I ever did."

"As I said, not my choice. The Queen of Hearts eventually found me and I was locked away in a tower until Regina cast her curse. Eight years in solitude in Wonderland… I think I grew slightly mad and paranoid. I learned to get by alone, however… which is why it wasn't hard to stay out of sight and out of mind in Storybrooke even after the curse was lifted."

Jefferson frowned. "Then you were in Wonderland when I was, too. It's a long story, but I was retired for several years before Regina tricked me into aiding her with a quest in Wonderland. Needless to say, she left me there. The soldiers caught me and I spent the rest of my time attempting to make another hat that would get me back home to Grace."

Alice sniffed and nodded. "The Queen informed me of it when she held me captive… and my heart was broken."

Jefferson nodded and inhaled as he tried to pull himself out of that dark place. It had been his own personal nightmare for so long and he'd gotten out of that place once, he couldn't get stuck there again. "Yeah, well… The past, remember? I was separated from Grace here in Storybrooke, too, during the curse. It took some time… and coaching… after the curse was lifted, but I got her back. She wanted me back."

"Of course she did," Alice smiled.

"She'll want you back, too," Jefferson said as he reached out and grabbed her palm in his own. "As do I… Thank you, Alice. For telling me all this."

"Oh no…" Alice's eyes suddenly widened and Jefferson frowned down at her. He couldn't understand the fear that had returned, but she was already far gone inside herself. Her hand slipped from his as the realization flashed in her eyes. "I shouldn't have told you! I broke the deal, didn't I? This isn't good…"

The man frowned. "It'll be fine, darling. We'll-"

"No!" she growled as her breathing grew faster and erratic. "_We _won't do anything! You don't understand! You don't ever break a deal with Rumpelstiltskin! You should know this, Jefferson. I… I have to find Gold. I have to find him."

Though Jefferson tried to protest against her frightened muttering, Alice hurried around him and rushed out the door before he could stop her. The man sighed and pinched the ridge of his nose. He couldn't help but wonder if it was always going to be this difficult. Then again, he knew, with Alice difficult was always worth it. With no further pause, he turned on his heel and hurried out the door to follow his wife.

He ran up to the street corner but made it no further when he suddenly heard the screeching sound of car tires attempting to brake and the unmistakable, dull sound of the same car hitting a solid object. Time seemed to slow as Jefferson turned the corner and further down the street saw a car hurriedly speed away from the scene of crime while a body lay unmoving in the middle of the street.

"No, no, no…" Jefferson muttered helplessly as he rushed towards the body. He silently pleaded for good luck, but once again fate was not on his side. As he came close, he could no longer pretend the still form was anyone else than his beloved wife. As he ran the last few yards, he shouted, "_Alice_!"

* * *

_To be continued_

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	11. No Coincidence

**11. No Coincidence**

"I know this isn't the best time..." Emma began softly as she gazed up at the man beside her. Jefferson's pale eyes were glazed over in an unfocused mist, much like an empty canvas or the ocean after a storm. "...but I need you to try and remember exactly what happened. Anything you can remember might help us solve the crime. For instance, did you see what kind of car it was?"

When she still didn't receive a single word in reply or even as much as an acknowledgement of her persistent inquiries, the sheriff turned and glanced back at David. The fair-haired man merely shrugged his eyebrows in silent understanding.

With a sigh, Emma turned her gaze ahead once more and peered through the glass wall at the fair woman in the infirmary bed. By her sterile, clean bedside, Dr Whale was looking at the woman's chart with a grim look upon his face. Alice's skin was pale where her arm rested against the sheets and neither the off-white band-aid on her forehead nor the dark bruises on her body helped the matters. At last, the doctor turned from his patient and slowly exited the room to face the awaiting trio outside.

As Whale cleared his throat, Jefferson finally showed any form of reaction as he hurriedly turned towards the man with a flicker of worry in his wide eyes. The doctor managed a tight smile and nodded reassuringly.

"She's got a pretty nasty concussion and two or three fractured ribs. I won't know for certain until we get the x-rays back, but it doesn't look any worse than that. It seems the car didn't hit her in very high velocity, if that's of interest to you, Sheriff," Whale nodded down to the woman on his right before turning back to the distraught husband. "Your wife will live, Jefferson. It'll be awhile before she's fully recovered, but if nothing else happens she'll be able to leave the hospital within a couple of days. You can stay with her if you wish, but she's still out cold and on strong pain killers."

Initially, Jefferson felt light-headed but managed to focus long enough to lean back against the wall for much needed support. Relief washed over him and he felt woozy as never before. He'd been so certain he was going to lose her again but Whale's words had pulled him from that brink of despair so fast he was still reeling from the experience. To try and calm his dizzy head and furious heart, Jefferson leaned forward and breathed heavily while tears threatened to spill from his exhausted eyes.

"Thank you... Doctor," he managed in a weak voice and exchanged a look with Whale, who nodded once before taking his leave to check on his other patients.

Jefferson stood tall as he ran a weary hand across his face and turned to look through the glass once more. Against the white sheets, Alice looked as pale as dead to him but he knew she wasn't. This time, she truly wasn't.

"I'll return and ask Alice about the incident later," Emma offered and patted the man's shoulder in a simple, comforting gesture. "Maybe she remembers who the driver was."

"It was just a freak accident," Jefferson muttered and it made the blonde woman pause. "A coincidence... I know it was."

The sheriff nodded hesitantly and also said her farewell. As she walked off, David stepped up to stand by Jefferson's side and gazed into the very same room in which he had for such a long time found himself in a coma during the curse. As he now could see the heartbreaking reality for the one left on the other side of the glass, he knew the Hatter's words in the café had been honest.

"I'm glad she'll make it, Jefferson," the man spoke as he kept his gaze on the wounded woman. "Being on this side of the glass is... not the best of experiences, I imagine. Makes me glad Snow didn't remember our life while I was in a coma. You've been through a lot back home and I think I speak for both myself and my wife when I say that the two of you deserve happiness together. While none of us are living our happily ever after, or at least not the one we were expecting,... none of us should be separated any longer. Rumpelstiltskin never had the right to separate true love like he did with you. It's unfair."

A smooth voice suddenly sounded from somewhere in the room behind them, and David turned as Mr Gold came limping towards them. "It was a deal, Charming. Deals aren't unfair... they're just not always in everyone's favour."

Jefferson's shoulders stiffened but he refused to turn as he growled in a low, menacing voice, "What are you doing here?"

"I heard the news of dear Alice's accident... I thought I'd come see how she was doing," the elder man offered with an innocent tone that neither Jefferson nor David bought. Neither of them trusted the slithering, deceitful snake that now stood beside them. Even though his skin was like that of a normal man in this world, they knew that beneath the surface lay the shadow of a darkness he would never be rid of.

Jefferson felt an unwanted struggle take place within him. A part of his heart wanted nothing more than to pounce on his enemy again while another part wanted to ask for his help. In the end, he managed to restrain himself as he growled, "Get her back to me."

Seemingly untouched by the demanding tone, Gold sighed, "I can't-"

The hurt husband whirled around as his temper beat his logic to the finish line. "I don't give a crap what you can or can't do, Gold! She's in there because of _you_. _You have to fix this_!"

Gold waited until Jefferson's breathing settled down somewhat and then pointed his cane in the direction of the infirmary room with a demeaning glare, "_Because of me?_ She's in there because _you_ forced her to break our deal. She told you all about it, didn't she?"

Jefferson's eyebrows rose to meet his hairline as he questioned, "How do you know she did?"

The other man tilted his head to the side as if offended by the mere question. "The woman runs out onto the street and just _happens_ to be run over by a car only minutes after talking to you about something that made her run onto the street in the first place? It doesn't really take being the Dark One to follow the breadcrumbs to that end."

"Wait," David interrupted as he faced the former Hatter. "I thought you said this was a freak accident. A coincidence."

"There's no such thing as _coincidence_," Gold offered in a sweet, yet dark tone, as he too turned his gaze at Jefferson's stiff form. "In this case, Alice broke the rules... She had to pay the price as according to our deal. You're lucky she's still alive, Hatter. Remember that before you throw any more stones."

"Yeah, well..." David began as he saw Jefferson's anger swell up to new highs. With a hasty move, the fairy tale prince tried to put a lid on the other man's emotions and hurriedly said, "She'll fully recover. Let's just leave it at that and call it a day, shall we? Gold, I'll walk you out. I think Jefferson deserves some time alone."

"Fine by me," the elder man shrugged. "I got what I came for anyway."

With no further words of farewell passing between them, Jefferson watched as David and Gold walked out of the hospital and finally left him to his own self. He sighed and ignored the sounds of the beeping machines, the doctors and the nurses around him as he once more gazed at his resting wife. He just couldn't see past how frail she looked in that hospital room. As he saw her now, old memories of cradling her dead body in his arms flashed painfully before his inner eye and he struggled to keep it together. He wasn't sure just how long he simply stood there, but eventually, with an unsteady breath, Jefferson reached out for the metal handle.

"Is she alright?" the unexpected dark, dulcet tones of a familiar voice sounded behind him and Jefferson halted.

Slowly, and quite unsurely, the man turned around and gazed at the new arrival with a plain frown written across his worn face. "What are _you_ doing here?"

* * *

Belle looked up from her paperwork as Gold slowly stepped into her apartment above the town library and gently closed the door behind him. The brunette hurriedly attempted to clean up some of her mess as the man stepped into the living room on limping legs.

As Belle dumped some superfluous paper in the trash and offered to make them a fresh pot of coffee, Gold merely gazed at her with bright waited until she'd turned on the coffee machine before he calmly addressed her in turn, "This is the second time you've asked me to meet you today... Somehow, I have a feeling this is related to the last time."

Belle smiled timidly as she brushed a strand of long hair behind her ear and placed two coffee cups on the table between them. Slowly, she faced her beloved with a hopeful twinkle in her fair eyes.

Belle wasn't entirely sure how to propose her suggestion, nor how he would react, but she still felt she had to. She felt she owed Jefferson something to repay him for his previous kindness to her, and besides she was personally involved now that Alice had opened up to her.

The only thing the couple needed was someone who stood up for them and faced their foe, who just so happened to be Belle's loved one. It was all a bit too much of a paradox for the beauty, but she had made up her mind and there was no turning from the decision now.

"You're right," she admitted in an almost guilty tone of voice. "This is about Alice and Jefferson. I want you to undo their deal, like Snow suggested."

* * *

Regina's dark eyes sparkled somewhat as she shrugged her shoulders in a lenient reply to the Hatter's question. Jefferson hadn't seen her since the day the curse broke and he had still not forgiven her for double-crossing him a second time. Of course, there was also the small detail of her need to be in hiding after killing Jiminy Cricket, or Arthur as he was also commonly known as in the town.

Still, as she stepped forward now, Jefferson only saw the opportunities she brought with her with each step she came closer.

"Despite recent events, I'm still the mayor and Alice a citizen of Storybrooke," the woman explained as she came to a halt a few feet away from the former Hatter. Despite her confident words, he noticed she glanced around to make sure unkind eyes weren't paying attention to her presence in the hospital. "I'm here to show that I care for all citizens."

Jefferson snorted in amusement. "_You_? Caring for someone else? Oh, that's right. I heard you were trying to change for Henry's sake. Remind me again, how did that work out for you? Killed any crickets lately?"

The expression on her face faltered long enough for Jefferson to see her insecurities before she regained her self-control and impassive look. "Not that I think anyone still cares, but I didn't do it. Regardless... I'm not here for that. I'm here for Ms Lewis' sake."

"If Alice knew you were here she'd ask you to leave. And not so politely, one might guess."

"Fair enough," the dark-haired woman consented as she straightened her posture and conspicuously glanced at the fair, unconscious woman in the adjoining room.

"Why are you really here, Regina? What interest could you possibly have in Alice's recovery?"

"Believe it or not... I knew her once. A _long_ time ago. Well, _knew_ might be a bit much..." the woman hesitated a beat as something unreadable flashed through her dark eyes. "I knew her sister."

Jefferson's frown returned as he racked his brain for knowledge. "_Her sister? _Alice doesn't have a sister. She was an only child."

"Is that so?" the queen asked coldly.

"She would have told me about it if it was true. You're lying."

"Ah..." Regina simply breathed but left it at that with a mysterious, impassive look which was so permanent, Jefferson wondered if it was glued onto her face.

Whatever hesitation had flashed in her eyes had stopped her from expanding on her knowledge and it frustrated the man. He knew the queen well enough to know she could be playing him again and he was aware that neither his mind nor his heart were well enough to handle such a treatment.

_Still_... "I hate to ask, Regina, but... do you know how to break the deal?"

* * *

Gold sighed as he gazed across the room at the fair brunette before he tiredly sank onto a mahogany chair by her dining room table. One of his hands lazily came up to play with the cup before him, as he tiredly faced the woman, "Belle... I..."

"Just hear me out, Rumpelstiltskin," the woman rushed on and sat down opposite him as she tried to organise her arguments to her advantage. "Jefferson reunited the two of us in this world... If it weren't for him, who knows what Regina would have done to keep us apart after the curse broke. Either way it wouldn't have been pretty and you know it. We owe him because of that. And the curse has been lifted and you _are_ trying to change for the better... right?"

The man begrudgingly nodded as he reached out to gently grab her hand in his own calloused one. "You know I am, dear... But, Belle, you need to understand. I can't _undo_ a deal. Though the list of benefits for my work back in the enchanted world was long, it still only entailed _making _deals, not _undoing_ them."

The brunette clasped his hand tight in her own and boldly met his gaze as she leaned closer over the table. A small flicker of hope shone in her eyes as she inquired, "But you can _change _them, can't you? You can change a deal or strike a new one to replace the old?"

"In rare cases, dear, yes," Gold nodded in agreement. "But, this-"

"-is one of those times," Belle finished for him. "Please solve this for them. I'm practically begging you here."

"I'd do anything for you, Belle," the man began in a defeated tone as he leaned back in his seat and his hand slipped from her grasp. "But some things just can't be done. It's not that easy. It's never going to be that easy."

"It's like this deal is _so_ important to you and I can't understand why," Belle huffed as she leaned back in her own seat. "It shouldn't be too hard to alter it with a few new terms."

"Perhaps not in theory," Gold spoke cryptically and even his eyes seemed to seek answers deep within himself.

* * *

The hour was late but still Jefferson kept vigilance by Alice's bedside. Regina had left them long ago and he'd been relieved to see her back disappear around the corner. He still detested that woman with every fibre of his being for what she had put him through.

Still, he hated himself more for asking for her help now.

But if Gold refused to help him, there was but one powerful being that might still be of assistance to him in Storybrooke. _Regina_. She had been visually taken by surprise by his off-hand request but had promised she would look into it. Not that Jefferson held her promises in high regard.

Alice, meanwhile, had been unconscious the entire day and most of the night and so blissfully ignorant of the trauma Jefferson was going through yet again in concern to her health. As he sat in a simple chair by her bedside, his eyes could not seem to leave her pale face that managed to look both frail and serene at the same time. He feared that if he were to look away, her physical condition would suddenly deteriorate and she would die during that split second of detachment. So much had happened over the past few days that Jefferson didn't even know where to start trying to make sense of it all. All emotions within his head and heart were in conflict with each other. He was humbled by his wife being alive while livid she had made a deal with Rumpelstiltskin. He was glad she had returned to his life but sad that she had been forced to leave him and Grace even for such a righteous cause.

As his mind began to wander once more, he barely noticed that Alice stirred on the bed. It wasn't until she raised a hand to her weary head while letting out a painful moan that he was drawn back to the present.

"Hey..." he managed to whisper as his hand closed around hers and lowered it from the band-aid on her forehead. "Don't touch. Doctor's orders. You have a pretty nasty concussion... How are you feeling?"

Alice wet her lips slowly before she attempted to reply. As she spoke, her voice was weak and hoarse, "Been better, I suppose."

Jefferson nodded. "Do you remember what happened?"

"_Vividly_," she croaked and slowly opened her eyes to meet his. Jefferson felt deflated as he saw sadness dance within her pale orbs and defeat was written all over her bruised features. "I remember everything... You have to go, Jefferson."

The man shook his head even as he felt his mouth go dry from fear. "I can't."

"No," Alice shook her head. "We can't do _this_."

"...What do you mean?"

"You know exactly what I mean. This is over, Jefferson."

"It's not over. Of course it's not over. It can't be… over."

"I was hit by a car because I broke my deal with-"

"It was just a hit-and-run, Alice. That had nothing to do with your agreement!" Jefferson argued even though he didn't even believe it himself. Somehow he just felt he had to disagree with her to make her change her mind, even if his endeavour was futile. He was grasping at straws already as it was to keep her in his life, he didn't know what else to do.

"It had everything to do with the deal, and you know it. These things don't happen without reason..."

"It wasn't without reason. You ran into the middle of the street, Alice! It was just… a misfortune. You were distraught and didn't see the car. Accidents like that happens every day."

The woman shook her head slowly and closed her eyes as a dull pain invaded her head. "It was _my fault._ I shouldn't have told you anything and I paid the price. Let's stop here… and not wait for something worse to happen."

Jefferson shook his head and rubbed his eyes warily. "You're impossible, you know that? I just don't understand you anymore! When I think about it, maybe I never did! You were always the most curious, stubborn, tempered girl I ever knew! But I loved you! I still do! But you're... not acting like yourself. You're so stuck on what _can't be_ that you won't even fight for what _could be_, something you would _never_ have missed out on back home."

Dread flashed in her eyes, as she hurriedly changed subject with the straightforward question, "...What if we continue and next time it's Grace in front of that car? Our feelings are irrelevant, don't you see? I can't risk your life or our daughter's life no matter how much I want the two of you back. I can't break the deal again... This was all a mistake."

"No..." the man said and felt extreme anxiety seep into his voice. "Not a mistake... I _need_ you back."

Alice gazed into her husband's eyes as she meekly said, "You said it yourself, Jefferson."

"Said what?"

"The happily ever after in which good triumphs over evil… was never in our future."

Jefferson shook his head, unwilling to listen to her denial any longer. "Yes, I said it. But you never believed it. You never listened to my mad mind. Your own curious soul always hoped I was wrong."

"But I'm not arguing anymore," Alice whispered. "There's no hope left. I know you were right."

"I was _wrong_, Alice!"

The woman shook her head slowly. "Were you? Were you, really?"

Jefferson reached out for her hand and clutched it tight within his own as he tried to find a way to convince her not to give in. "I thought you were _dead_, Alice, but you've returned to me. That's one thing I never thought would happen, but it did. It's given me hope… And Grace will-"

"Please, stop," Alice pleaded and the pain in her eyes were almost unbearable to Jefferson also. "I don't want to hear this."

"I honestly almost don't care anymore," Jefferson said and held onto her hand even as she tried to wriggle it free from his grasp. "I've listened to your weak excuses and desperate attempts to escape, but I can't do it anymore. In the past, you would always be my rock and the one person I could count on who would always pick me up from the dust, brush me off and send me into the fight again. It's _terrifying_ to see you've lost that spark, Alice... But I might have spark enough for the both of us. We'll find a way."

A single tear spilled from Alice's eye and found its way down her cheek before it dropped onto the cushion by her head as she struggled to keep her voice even, "You should go."

With those three, impassive words, that each felt like a punch to the groin for Jefferson, Alice turned her head away from him to indicate the end of their conversation. The man was speechless. Utterly speechless.

It seemed it didn't matter which path he tried to go down. Denial, revelation, coincidences, cause and effect. It seemed all roads were bound to lead him to the same discouraging end.

"I know you're afraid," he began even as he felt his own inferno lessen with each passing second. "... I am too. What I fear more than anything, however... is the defeat in your heart. I don't even recognise the woman I married in you anymore. Truth is, I'm not strong enough on my own. I can't do _this_ without you. I can't fight the ties that bind me to this life if you don't fight with me. I see that now. If you keep on giving in... I'm going to surrender, too. And then we'll never have a chance. Is that your wish, Alice? Say the words and I will leave you."

* * *

_To be continued._

_Did you like or perhaps not? Leave a review and let me know what you thought and if you have any useful tips for me. It's all greatly appreciated!_


	12. Walk The Line

**12. Walk The Line**

Early next morning, Grace walked slowly with her bare feet across the carpeted floor in her home. With soft, silent steps the young girl descended the staircase whilst listening intently for any noises to reveal the whereabouts of her dad. She heard nothing.

Though she was only a child, Grace was still certain she felt _something_ in the house that morning. She figured it was what grownups liked to refer to as 'tension in the air'. She didn't recognize it, but still had a feeling she knew it.

As she came down the final step, she steered her course towards the kitchen and tentatively entered the large, homely area. As she walked past the center counter, Grace found her gaze travelled to the lone figure on a chair by the dining room table. It was the sad stature of her father.

Jefferson was hunched over as if miserable while his clenched fists rested angrily on top of the table. Grace's eyes were immediately drawn to the broken glass that lay cluttered on the table and the plentiful, yet petite, drops of blood that hid among the shards.

Without a word, Grace collected a band-aid and a pair of tweezers from a drawer before she sank onto the chair closest to her dad. He merely glanced down at her hands as she began to pick shards from his wound and she was surprised when he neither excused himself nor pulled away. She had never seen her father this broken and she only wished she could understand all that was going on in order to help him feel better again.

The young girl inhaled unhurriedly as she glanced up at her father's sombre profile, and whispered in a low voice, "It's time you explained this to me... don't you think?"

* * *

Alice woke up some time after ten that morning. When she finally cracked her eyes open to unwillingly welcome the pain in her head and chest, she was surprised to find she had a visitor.

In the chair by her infirmary bed sat a slim woman dressed in chic clothes and with shoulder length, brown hair. Her eyes were dark and demanding like those of someone once powerful, and it was with little effort Alice guessed the true nature of her guest.

"_Regina_," she croaked and moved to sit up in the bed. She briefly glanced out through the glass walls but realized no one was paying them any attention. The blonde woman guessed that was precisely what the Queen had wanted and counted on. All things considered, Alice felt more than a little on edge as she gazed at the woman beside her. "Do you always stalk strangers in the infirmary, or should I feel special?"

"Ms Lewis, I'm not going to beat around the bush," Regina bluntly said and there was something almost nervous to her dark voice that drew Alice's interest. With a slow, encouraging nod from the blonde woman, the Queen continued, "I know you figured out it was Gold who sent you the message that made you step out from your hiding here in Storybrooke. What you don't know is that he wasn't alone. Truth is, it was my plan. _I_ asked him to find you."

Alice cleared her throat and silently pondered the information she'd just been given. When she'd confronted Rumpelstiltskin about sending the white rabbit to her, she had chosen not to wait for his explanation. That day she had been able to run away, but that was unfortunately not an option as long as she was stuck in her hospital bed. Even if she tried to make a run for it, either her head or her ribs would soon be her downfall. Whatever Regina had to ask of her - whatever Rumpelstiltskin also had meant to ask - she was afraid she would have to listen to it this time.

"I also know," Regina continued as she remained oblivious to the swirling thoughts in the other woman's head, "that you faced Gold and told him to back off... Which is why I am here now. You see-"

"_I don't want to listen_," Alice hurriedly breathed as the pain in her head intensified and she grew tense. "Why can't people understand that I simply wish to be left _alone_? I've been dealt my cards and I am trying so hard to play them... but everyone wants me to cheat in this game that can't be manipulated. After these past few days I think I'm entitled to just go back to my tea shop and stop being first page news. I'm not playing anymore."

Regina raised a questioning eyebrow and leaned forward in her seat. "It was never in your cards to be _anonymous_, Alice. Not with your family. Yes, much has changed since _those _days, but nothing that can't be restored again."

The other woman sighed as she defeatedly rested her head against the pillow. "Maybe not. That still doesn't mean I want it."

"You can't run from your destiny, from what you are meant to be."

"You're one to talk," Alice snorted and glared at her visitor. "I look at you and Rumpelstiltskin and all I see is... destruction. Sadness. _Pain_. What kind of a life is that? I've chosen to live this life without magic, and I intend to stay on this path. It's obviously a far better option than the alternative."

"What if that choice was not up to you?" Regina's monotonous, dark voice ripped through Alice's core and she closed her eyes tight. "I know my mother intends to come to Storybrooke. If she does, she'll be after both of our heads, as you know. Though I wasn't present, I've heard about your rebellion against the Queen of Hearts and the havoc you caused."

The blonde woman shook her head but refrained from speaking some of her thoughts. The conversation she had shared with the man called Killian was still fresh in her mind and she preferred not to speak of it out loud for fear of her worries coming to life if she did. Instead, Alice said, "As you also know, I was stripped of my powers _before_ I came to Wonderland. When you sent Cora there, I caused havoc, as you called it, without magic. If she comes to Storybrooke I'm sure you and Gold can deal with her. _Without my help_. And should she come after me, I'll just use my wit again. It works wonders, especially without magic. You should try it sometime."

"Very well," Regina said shortly and Alice knew that tone of voice. This was going to be the bargaining part of the Queen's speech and they weren't even close to the end. "What if I told you everything about your sister here in Storybrooke in exchange for retrieving your magic and getting your support."

"_No_," Alice promptly denied. "I'm done making deals, Your Majesty. And frankly, I don't understand this one. You and Rumpelstiltskin are the two most powerful creatures from our world... surely you won't need a third force. Besides, you have_ the Saviour_ on your side, too."

"I'm on my own now, as you know, Alice," Regina spoke and her dark eyes were honest and open even as the bitter truth flashed behind her walls. "As far as I know, the whole town has turned their backs on me and won't come to my aid if my mother appears in Storybrooke. And truthfully... I don't think I could kill her if she came. I'll need help. _Your_ help, Alice."

"You think she's after your head, then? That she wants revenge?"

Once more, the Queen raised a slim eyebrow. "What do you think?"

* * *

Later that afternoon, Jefferson hesitantly walked towards the infirmary room as his jumbled thoughts failed to organize themselves. As he opened the door and stepped inside he realized from the unfocused look in Alice's eyes that she had either just awoken or recently been given more painkillers. Either way, she didn't smile up at him and so he closed the door behind him with the sensation of dread building up in his stomach.

"Good news," Alice said dryly and all too clearly to be drugged up. "I convinced the good doctor to let me out of here tomorrow."

"Yes, yes, good," the man distantly commented as he walked around the bed and took a seat on the foot-end of her bed. "Alice, I just bumped into Dr Whale in the hallway. He said that when he came to check up on you earlier today, Regina was in here. When he entered, she transported herself out of here and you refused to explain what she had been doing here in the first place... What's going on, Alice?"

"Jefferson..." the woman sighed. She read the honest intent to help in her husband's eyes, but knew she couldn't include him in anyway. "Why is it so hard for you to understand that I can't have anything to do with you? Do you want me to die next time I'm run over by a car, is that it? Is my presence here in the infirmary not enough proof of why you should _stay away_ from me?"

Jefferson exhaled as he explained himself, "You never told me to stop."

"What?" Alice frowned and her eyes flew up to meet his again.

"Yesterday," he further explained, "when I told you to just say the word and I would leave, you never did. You don't want me to give up any more than I do."

"That's absurd, Jefferson. I-"

Boldly, the man interrupted, "Then say it now. Say that you want me to stop."

For a few seconds the room was silent as the estranged husband and wife simply looked at each other across their endless abyss. After everything they'd been through over the past few days, Jefferson noticed that while the distance between them might not have shrunk, there was a new foundation to a bridge being built across the gap. He knew she was terrified to let him in again, and he had the idea that she feared that prospect more than she had ever feared Rumpelstiltskin.He saw it so plainly in her frightened eyes that he knew that whatever words would come out of her mouth could only be more lies.

At great length, Alice lowered her eyes with a sigh. "You should-"

Jefferson interrupted, "I don't care what I _should_ do, as you know. It's far more fun doing what you shouldn't do. Either way, that's not what I asked you to say."

"What do you want from me, Jefferson?" Alice's pleading eyes seemed to be asking for answers far beyond that simple question. He wished he knew everything her eyes were asking, but knew enough to see that she was deliberately keeping him out.

"I want you to understand that I think we can win, Alice," the former Hatter explained as he scooted closer to her on the bed. "I'll find a way to free you from Rumpelstiltskin."

"_Don't you dare make another deal with him_-" the woman's voice rose an octave before Jefferson managed to calm her down.

"That's not what I mean!" he promised. "...I don't know what I mean. But I don't mean _that_. It's just... you're worth fighting for, Alice. You've returned from the dead and I'm not letting you go. And Grace wants-"

It was Alice's turn to interrupt her husband as her frightened voice asked, "You told her?"

"I had to. She asked me to. Grace is old enough to understand some of this. I couldn't keep the truth from her."

"I wish you had…" the woman muttered as her eyes closed tight.

Jefferson noticed the slight tremor in her hand that rested on the covers and he reached out for it. He squeezed the cold fingers as he whispered, "Grace thinks you'll come back to us. She _wants_ it. And I happen to agree with her."

Alice shook her head and desolation crept into her pale eyes. "You gave her hope then? You shouldn't have... How could I ever return? Even if the deal was unmade… how could I ever face my old life again, knowing what I gave up and how much I have already missed? I have missed my daughter growing up, Jefferson! I can never have that time back…"

As some of her fears finally were spoken out loud, Jefferson felt relief wash over him. At least this, now that he knew it, he could help her with and he only clutched her hand tighter in his own calloused one.

"She's not grown yet! Believe me… she's wise for a child, but still just a child. And… I know how you feel, I've felt those fears, too, you know. I was parted from her for so long, but I got her back. You think it was easy? It was the hardest thing I've ever done in my life… but I did it. I still think every day she deserves someone better than me as her parent, and each day she proves one way or another that she doesn't want anyone else. This is the life we both want more than anything. But we're still one woman short of living happily ever after... She actually wanted to see you."

"What?" the woman's eyes widened like saucers. "That's not a good idea, Jefferson."

"I tried to tell her that, but she didn't want to listen," the man said as his eyes conspicuously flew up to the door. "Why don't you try telling her that."

With one fluid motion, Jefferson rose from the bed and Alice turned as the glass door opened. Mary Margaret entered the room and stepped aside to let a young girl pass her. Alice wordlessly watched as her husband walked over to the new arrivals.

"Thanks, Snow. I'll take it from here," Jefferson said and the dark-haired woman smiled gently before she exited and walked away from the room. As the door mutely closed, Alice realized it was the first time their little family had been reunited in well over thirty years.

Her jaw dropped as she gazed at the beautiful girl who timidly stood in front of her father. She had long, dark hair like her father but the same piercing, blue eyes as her mother. As Alice looked at her daughter, she saw so much of Jefferson in her that the pretty picture became almost too painful to watch.

Before Alice had a chance to recollect herself, the little girl suddenly sprang into action. In a matter of seconds, Alice found her vision blurred by long, dark hair as the warmth of Grace's arms enveloped her in a tight, half-desperate hug.

Muffled by her mother's skin, Grace managed a shaky, "Hi, mom."

To see her daughter again and to see how grown she was, only broke Alice's heart even more and she found herself incapable of reacting. Even as one of her trembling hands reached out to stroke Grace's hair, the blonde woman shook her head, "I can't do it. I can't risk your life."

"I know..." Grace whispered back and pulled back far enough so that she could meet her mother's gaze. "... and I understand. I just wanted to see you now, to give you hope. I trust in dad. He'll find a way to get you back to us _soon_. Until then, I'll be patient. I know how to be that now."

"Not really," Jefferson smirked from his awkward stance by the door.

Grace rolled her eyes at her dad before she faced her mother again. "I just wanted you to know that we'll be waiting for you. No matter how long it takes."

* * *

Next day, well after sunset, Alice found herself released from the hospital and with more inner struggles than ever in her past.

With far more relief than she could ever put into words, she had first returned to her empty flat where the white rabbit had happily greeted her. But it hadn't taken long before the silence and emptiness of her apartment had been almost unbearable for her heavy mind. There were just too many, conflicts that ran through her head as if it were a freeway at peak hour.

First she had her husband and daughter who wanted her back into their life, a wish she knew was impossible no matter how greatly she shared it.

Then there was of course Killian with his unexpected, unspoken request, one she did not intend to ever listen to. Still, she had a feeling that while she could avoid her other problems, perhaps the one he had hinted at would be inevitable.

Last, but certainly not least, there was of course Rumpelstiltskin and Regina's even more unexpected actions to make her step into the light. Their wish, too, was impossible. Even though it could be linked to Killian's warning, Alice had no intention of facing that beast any time soon.

It seemed no matter what all the people wanted who desired to contol her like a puppeteer, she could offer them nothing. If either by choice or force, she had no real say in any of it. She had become a puppet to the puppeteer of life and there was nowhere to flee from the strings that bound her in place. She was at a complete standstill and would remain there till she drew her last breath.

It was this final notion that had led Alice into taking a walk in the brisk evening air to clear her aching head. Somehow, her feet had subconciously led her along the paved road deep into the forest until she reached a certain point of Storybrooke.

Without really understanding how she'd gotten there, Alice mutely glared down at the red line that ran across the road and plainly made out the end of the town's limits. She knew exactly what awaited her on the other side and though it wasn't desirable, it wasn't without its perks either.

If she stayed she would be forced to walk the line. She would be doomed to live on in agony with the memories of her past life which she could never return to. To live with that knowledge, but being unable to change her meek existence, wasn't a life Alice desired anymore. There was no moving forward and there was no returning to her old, hidden life, if she remained in the small town. The only way to have change... was to leave.

A soft breeze caressed her worn body as she mentally built up the courage she was going to need. In truth, perhaps she had to lose the last remains of courage to be able to leave her life entirely. When she pondered it, she realizsed this wasn't about courage at all, but rather the opposite. _Cowardice_.

With a heavy sigh, Alice raised her right leg to walk over the line.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," a dulcet voice said behind her.

The blonde woman whipped her head around in surprise. Her face contorted in an unpleasant frown as she easily recognized the unexpected person. "_You?_"

* * *

_To be continued..._


	13. Turn of The Tide

**A/N: A little reminder; This chapter still takes place ****before**** Episode 11 of Season 02 (meaning that so far I'm not trying to mess with what is canon)!**

* * *

**13. Turn of The Tide**

Alice turned around and faced her present company. "How did you find me, _Killian_?"

The man scratched his short beard as he gazed across the distance at her. "It hurts to hear you didn't believe me when I told you my name, Alice. You don't have to be sarcastic, you know. It really was Killian. Well, before the hook anyway. Now, it's just _Hook_, for good measure."

"_Inventive_," Alice said dryly as she eyed his makeshift hand. "Still doesn't answer my question."

Hook merely winked innocently in silent response and she knew it was all he was willing to offer at the moment.

Thankfully, the moon was almost full and shone bright up in the dark, star-covered sky. Like a beacon it cast enough of its eerie light for Alice and Hook to see clearly despite the long shadows of the trees that seemed never-ending.

With curiosity and anxiety mixed in her blood, Alice gazed hard at the man she had met in her tea shop not many days ago. She was more than a little surprised to see he was not wearing the casual clothes of the everyday man like he had worn last time. Instead, he had suited up in a befitting yet scruffy-looking pirate outfit. Not to mention, as the man himself had pointed out, that where she last had noticed a missing hand, Alice now saw a silver hook glisten under the pale moon light.

The more she looked, the less Alice felt she had truly understood the handsome man from when he had been to her shop.

"...What are you wearing?"

The man glanced down at his outfit and as he raised his gaze there was confusion in his pale eyes. "My pirate uniform. Is there something wrong with it?"

"It's a _pirate uniform_..." the woman frowned in reply. Not even half a minute later, the answer presented itself so obviously in her head. "Oh, I see... You haven't spent the last twenty-eight years in Storybrooke like the rest of us, have you? You just arrived."

"Last week, actually," the pirate grinned as he took a few, slow steps in her direction. He gestured with his hook to indicate his attire and continued, "I had to dress like one of the townspeople last time to not draw attention to myself. It's imperative I stay hidden for a little while longer, you see. Prefer these drags, though... I gather you don't?"

The woman shook her head and tiredly held up her hands to stop him then and there. "... How _did_ you find me?"

"I followed you here," Hook shrugged and suavely came to a halt by her side. He glared down at the red line across the street in front of them. "I gather that's _not_ a good thing."

Alice also looked down as she tried to keep up with his change of topic. "I-it's the edge of Storybrooke. Cross it and you'll forget who you are and who you were back in our homeland."

Hook contemplated her words briefly before he turned to face her. He pointed his hook down towards the street and slowly asked, "So you just have to walk over that line to lose all your memories? ...And it can't be undone?"

"Not to my knowledge," Alice shrugged and sighed as she felt the hour was growing late and this was not a conversation she wished to have nor the present company she wished to be in.

The pirate's pale eyes darkened with thought as he crossed his arms over his chest. "I'll have to remember that... Thanks, love."

"Whatever."

Hook finally recognized her irritation and his smirk grew as he once more changed the topic. "So... we know why _I'm_ here. Question is, why are _you_?"

Alice grimaced. "I'm testing a theory. I keep on breaking this deal I made with Rumpelstiltskin long ago. Or at the very least, walking close to the line. I came here to see if something bad would happen because of it."

"And has anything bad happened?" Hook asked though he already knew the answer to his own question.

The blonde woman shrugged her coat closer to her slim body and shook her head. "Apart from your disturbance? Well, no, I haven't been run over like last time... _Yet_."

"While that is a lovely explanation... it's not the truth, is it?" Hook asked and Alice was stunned to realize he had read her so easily. Her eyes flew up to meet his and in his vivid gaze she saw cunning shine back down at her. The look alone made her skin crawl and she subconsciously took a small step away from the man. He in turn followed and step with her, as he continued, "It's not the _real_ reason why you are out here about to step over a line and have your memory obliterated forever."

When Alice remained silent, the pirate captain took another step closer and invaded her personal space as he pressed ahead, "I'm a perceptive man and these past few days the news of your story have traveled all through town like a plague. I gather the deal you made with Rumpelstiltskin keeps you and your -... _Hatter_, is it? - parted. Still, he seems pretty determined to win you back. Am I right?"

Alice was floundered as he finished his deductions and didn't know quite what to say. "You... should have been a cop, not a pirate."

"I'll take that as a compliment. Answer my question."

With a deep sigh, the woman finally conceded and shrank back, "Yes, my husband and child are willing to wait for me. But it's _futile_ because I'll never be able to return into their lives. I only wish they could see it the way I do and... drop it. Drop me."

"Let me see if I understand... Your family _wants_ you back in their lives, and you are out here all mentally suicidal because of it? And I heard the Hatter was the mad one..."

"It's not that easy," Alice harrumphed and crossed her arms over her sore ribs. She turned from the pirate beside her to look at the line across the ground, only to find that it once more beckoned her to cross it.

"Of course it's not," Hook agreed and his voice turned dark and mysterious like a storm at nightfall. "Rumpelstiltskin is involved."

Hesitantly, Alice turned back to face the man. There was something in his eyes that caught her curiosity and she couldn't look away. "I gather you're not his biggest fan then?"

"The feeling is mutual, I quite assure," the man smiled tightly. "_You're_ not exactly a fan of him either. Right?"

"This isn't fair," the blonde woman breathed and glared up at the suave pirate with dark eyes. "You've heard the gossip about me in town, but I don't know anything about you."

"I recognize a broken heart when I see one, especially one ripped asunder by that _beast_... I _feel_ your pain, Alice," Hook said and his voice was completely void of its usual cheekiness. "Many years ago, Rumpelstiltskin viciously took my love from me... There was nothing I could do. While he took the woman I love from me, your special someone is still alive."

"Not you, too..." she muttered and closed her eyes tight as she tried to wish him away. "I've heard this speech from everyone, I don't need to hear it from a _stranger_."

"Well, if you won't listen to the people you love, maybe I'll have a better chance. Because this stranger is like _you_..." Hook offered with a shrug of his eyebrows. "So, as far as your _daring, little adventure_ goes... Let's save us both the trouble and call it quits. Let's return to Storybrooke and forget this ever happened."

Having almost forgotten the reason why she had sought out this part of the woods in the first place, Alice turned towards the pirate in anger. She could feel her weary, wounded head start to throb from pain, but pushed past it as she confronted him, "_No_... I don't get why you're here now, but if this has anything to do with Cora I've already told you; I don't want anything to do with her. Or you. Leave me alone. _You_ go back to Storybrooke, _alone_."

"I'm afraid I can't," the tall man said as he moved two steps around her and patiently waited.

The blonde woman looked up and noticed he had blocked her route. He had cleverly moved himself so that he stood in between the woman and the red line on the road, in case he would have to act physically to stop her. Despite her childish stubbornness, Alice knew he would be both faster and stronger than her. If she made a run for it, he would easily catch her and Alice knew the pain wouldn't be worth the attempt.

"Why not?" she questioned at last.

Hook shrugged. "I've got my orders. She doesn't want you to leave, dear."

"Well, _I do_," Alice said boldly. "I don't want to stay! _I can't!_ And I don't intend on helping anyone if I decide to stay."

Having spoken her mind, she stubbornly looked down and closed her eyes to fight back the wave of pain that threatened to overtake her body. As the first wave lessened, Alice found a new thought had washed ashore and she whipped around to face the mysterious pirate. "It doesn't make a lick of sense. Cora and I were mortal enemies in Wonderland, so why would she suddenly want _my_ help? Unless... this is entirely _your _doing."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yes, you do. Maybe the Queen of Hearts came with you to Storybrooke, but I would be the _last person_ she sought out. So what's with all th-... Oh, it's _too easy_. I can't believe I didn't see it until now. You've already agreed she's a mutual enemy. You're obviously too afraid to admit it to her face, so officially you're her ally. She has no idea you're doing any of this."

"Fair enough," Hook reluctantly nodded and let out a tense breath as he further confessed, "I hate that woman almost as much as I fear her. I'm not going to be foolish enough to trust her, but I'll happily make her believe I do. ...There, are you satisfied with that answer?"

"Not good enough," Alice shook her head once. "How do you know my story? If you're asking what I think you're asking of me, there's no way you would have learned that from eavesdropping in Storybrooke. You must have learned about me back in the enchanted world but I'm guessing Cora wouldn't have told you anything... So how?"

"You're really not playing fair, you know?" Hook said with a pointed glare and Alice saw his suave exterior give way to the honest, hesitant man that hid beneath the surface. "I do know your story. _All of it_."

"_How_?"

The man sighed. "I ran into two lost boys in a land far, far away and whilst searching for their chief, they told me all about Wonderland... and you."

"_The Tweedle Twins_?!" Alice asked in shock. Of all the scenarios, she hadn't even remotely foreseen that one. After Jefferson had sent the boys through the portal, she had thought they had heard the last of them. "Oh, you've got to be kidding me... Still, I know what they knew, and so I have a pretty good estimate of how much they could have told you."

"Then let's not beat about the bush any longer, eh?" Hook suggested and it was plain he too had grown weary of pretending and playing games in the middle of the night.

Alice nodded in agreement. "You want me to _protect you_ from the Queen of Hearts? Kill her? With my _awesome powers_?"

"Again with the sarcasm..." Hook frowned. "It's really not needed, Alice. But you're right. I need you to take care of her if worst comes to worst."

The woman snorted unkindly. "And why would I even consider helping you? You can't offer me anything that will make me change my mind."

"Don't be so sure, love. You see, what I'm planning is something I believe you'll benefit from, too," the man spoke in a mysterious voice that rumbled from his throat almost flirtatiously.

Unimpressed, Alice encouraged him with a nod. "Go on then. Dazzle me."

"I'm going to _kill_ Rumpelstiltskin," admitted plainly and the woman beside him was momentarily taken aback by the sudden admission. "If he dies, your deal could be broken. You could be free to finally return to your family."

"...Why?" Alice's voice was low and quaking even with the single word. For all the options that had passed through her head lately, that one had never once crossed her mind. Even the mere sound of it evoked a tingle in her brain and she felt her heart speed up by the potential solution.

Hook shrugged. "Because you love them, I suppose. If you don't, you're always welcome to share my cot..."

Alice interrupted, "_No_. _Why_ are you going to kill him?"

"Do you really need to ask?" the pirate asked and raised his left arm. Alice gazed down at the hook that gleamed in the pale moonlight. The topic between them had not been dead long and she plainly saw the raw emotions that shone in his eyes even now.

"You want to avenge your loved one... Even if you manage to kill Rumpelstiltskin, I don't see how Cora will ever find that a bad thing," Alice pointed out. "It's not like you'll need saving. In fact, she might throw you a parade if you succeed. Heck, I might join-"

Hook shook his head and raised his voice as to gain her attention, "_She's changeable_... so am I. And I don't intend on being hers or anyone else's _puppet_ any longer. I want to be a _free_ man, void of fears and enemies should I complete my task. _This_ is a precaution."

"So why me?"

With a pointed glare, the man sighed and leaned forward slightly until he was down at her eye-level. "I can't very well ask Regina to help kill her own mother, can I? And for obvious reasons I'm not going to Rumpelstiltskin for help either."

Alice shrugged. "What about the Saviour?"

Hook grimaced and stretched tall again. "I'm not exactly on the best of terms with Ms Swan at the moment. Not to mention that I still have to stay unseen, _especially_ from her. There's only one powerful enough source left when you remove the others; _You._"

Alice tensed up and cautiously asked, "_How_ do you mean to kill Rumpelstiltskin?"

The man opposite her grimaced. "I admit, I was hoping for the upper hand because of my physical strength. Alas, that won't be the case now that I'm told magic has reached Storybrooke. But I'm not giving up. I'll find a way."

"Let me guess... Plan B involves using magic?"

"_Your_ magic, to be exact," Hook agreed with a wink and a nod. "Admittedly, if it comes to it I might need your help for more than protection against Cora... I was hoping to find an ally not afraid to take action against those who have done her wrong. One smart enough to join forces against mutual enemies and who could have the powers to-"

The woman sighed and held up her hands to stop the man. "Except I'm _not_ powerful. I'm quite power_less_, Hook."

"And what if I told you I know a way for you to regain your powers?"

The pirate was surprised to see the flicker of anger grow within the woman's eyes until it was basically a wild, unkempt fire. She stepped closer to him as she growled, "It's not a question of not knowing, it's a question of _not wanting_ them back."

The man was momentarily stunned by her admission. "... You know how to get your powers back already?"

"I have an _idea_ how to do it, yes," she muttered. "But the powers I once had, I don't want again. I'm surprised Tweedle-dee and Tweedle-dum didn't share that part of my story."

"Oh, they did," Hook assured as he contemplated his momentary set-back. "But from the rest of their description, I wasn't expecting to find a beaten down woman who'd given up so entirely she was willing to turn her back on life and simply walk away from it."

"I won't help you, Hook."

"Obviously," the man said mockingly as his reproachful eyes looked her up and down. "There's not much of a woman left in you, except for the weak remains who lets herself be ruled by withered fear."

With madness ablaze in her eyes, Alice sternly spoke, "You don't have the right to speak to me like that. You don't know what it's like-"

"_I know __**exactly**__ what it's like!_" the pirate growled back and the true implication of his words hung tensely in the silence that echoed between them. "The only difference between us, is that I've turned the anger into fuel for my soul. I'll destroy Rumpelstiltskin, one way or the other! ...Are you sure you want to give your life up in case I do succeed? It truly will be over if you choose to step over that line tonight. You don't have to make that choice. You still have your family waiting for you. I know you want the Dark One dead just as much as I do if it means getting them back. What do you say?"

* * *

Despite not giving him her word to do anything that night, Alice ultimately decided not to step across the line and obliterate her whole life.

Instead, Hook and Alice had silently walked back together under the waning moon. As they reached the outer row of buildings in the small town, the pirate had suddenly vanished from her side just as the first lights of a new day stretched over the horizon to greet the woman.

Alice didn't particularly miss the pirate's company, but had instead felt relieved to be left alone to ponder the new ideas he had planted in her worn head.

While he had, in a way, helped her make more sense of her traumatic life than she cared to admit, she had no desire to actively help make sense of his messed up existence in turn.

Still, Hook's words had awoken some deeply settled courage and hope she had long thought dead within her soul. Of all unexpected allies, Alice felt sure she never could have predicted being helped by a pirate. Especially not a one-handed pirate.

Alice had to admit he had offered a pretty interesting solution to her problem. What if she could be free of her demons if Rumpelstiltskin simply died? Could the answer to all her worries and anxieties be that uncomplicated?

A part of her thrived at this notion and it was a fraction of herself Alice grew to fear as the hours passed. She didn't like the murky thoughts that had entered her mind from the second Hook had spoken his straightforward plan.

As she finally went to bed for a few, short hours of sleep, with the white rabbit on the cushion beside her head, Alice felt the paradox of the situation embrace her snugly. She was more lost than ever, but at the same time wondered if she wasn't closer to being found.

* * *

The next day started at a snail's pace and for all intents and purposes it seemed to be a bleak day all around. Alice opened shop an hour later than normal and as she set to work on inventorying all of her supplies, the labor itself took twice as long with her tender ribs and aching head to delay her. The largest obstacle for her, however, were the conflicting emotions that ran through her mind. Each time she tried to reach a conclusion, she would simply end up stumped.

As the clock eventually ticked towards an early, uneventful afternoon, the bell chimed and Alice reflexively looked up to greet the first costumer of the day.

Standing in the open door way, illuminated by a sliver of sunlight from the outside, was none other than a coat-clad Mr Gold and his trusty cane. There was an impassive look in his dark, brown eyes that Alice couldn't read at all. Regardless, she had a feeling the visit would not be pleasant and she sighed heavily.

She stepped behind the main counter and put down her folders on the counter-top as she reluctantly turned to welcome him, "I must say... this is an unpleasant surprise."

Gold let out an amused breath as he closed the door behind him, "I had a feeling you'd say that."

"Then can you also guess what I'm going to say next?" Alice asked sarcastically as she tried to repress the tingle in her brain that slowly had begun to chant about the opportunity that was presented before her. She had her nemesis right in front of her now and all she could think about were the words Hook had told her the night before;

_"If he dies, your deal could be broken. You could be free to finally return to your family."_

She cleared her throat and pushed on in hope of getting rid of the man before her, "What are you doing here? I thought I'd already made it clear that I have nothing to offer you. And even if I did, I wouldn't offer it _to you_."

The little voice in her head, meanwhile, was inventorying all the possible weapons in close proximity to her, and the harder she tried, the less she wanted to ignore it. At last, she remembered a letter opener in the drawer right beside her and discreetly glanced downward.

Gold cleared his throat and cleverly changed the topic as he stepped further into the center of the shop. "It pleases me to see you've recovered after your accident. Believe it or not, I _was_ glad to see you weren't killed in that nasty hit-and-run."

The woman pretended to ponder his words as she moved her hand to casually open the drawer beside her. Unkindly, she pointed out, "I believe I won't believe that, but thank you for your fake concern."

"There's no need to be catty, Alice."

"Oh, I think there is," she disagreed darkly.

Gold sighed. "It's your own fault you got run over, not mine. You shouldn't have broken the terms of our deal."

"_No_, I shouldn't have _accepted_ your terms in the first place, Rumpelstiltskin," Alice said in a dark voice. "I could live with the terms when I wasn't in the same realm as my family. _This _life... is just too hard."

"You prefer to be separated from them again?"

The woman snorted at the suggestion. "Of course not. You know what I meant."

The elder man nodded as he leaned against his cane. "I know it's hard not being able to be with the people you love."

His attempt to falsely pretend to connect with her on an emotional level was too much for the mad woman and she bitterly growled, "Oh, do you now?"

Even as she inconspicuously reached for the letter-opener in the drawer, Gold bluntly stated, "There will be no need for that, Alice."

Her hand faltered and hovered in the air no more than a few inches from the small item. It was so close she could practically feel the cold blade against her skin. With a strength of mind she didn't know she possessed, she refrained from closing that last distance.

"I came to _your_ shop this time, Alice. I'm not here to burn more bridges. Take your hand out from the drawer and just listen to what I have to say. _Please_."

Taken by the sincerity in his coffee colored eyes, Alice did as he had requested. With lenient moves, she slowly rested her hands against the counter-top where they could do no harm. Though she kept her gaze on her trembling hands, it was apparent he had her full attention.

"Thank you." Mr Gold cleared his throat before he gently continued, "You may not be able to give me anything at the moment, but there's something _I_ can give _you_."

Slowly, Alice raised her head and her wide eyes watched the man as she drew a shuddering breath. In a low whisper, she managed a faint, "…Say that again."

A small, wicked grin twitched at the corner of Gold's mouth as he stepped towards her while his cane softly tapped against the floorboards. For what felt like an eternity this was the only sound Alice heard, until the short man came to a halt right in front of the counter.

As his smirk grew, Gold repeated, "There's something I can give you."

Unwilling to believe this was anything more than a dream, Alice hesitated. He couldn't possibly be offering what she wanted, could he? "W-what are you actually saying, Rumpelstiltskin? And why?"

"Let's just say I had a talk with someone dear to me who made me question all aspects of our deal. I've spent a great deal of time thinking about the precarious situation and believe I've found a way for us not to undo our deal, but rather to... improve it."

"I don't believe you ..." she whispered truthfully but still couldn't stop her next question from escaping past her lips. "How?"

"Well, this _updated_ deal would mean that I am still bound by the terms of our old agreement, but you are free from my old terms. You can return to your husband and daughter. Live happily. _Magic-free_."

Alice frowned in suspicion and wet her lips before she hesitantly, yet hopefully, asked, "What would the new terms be for me then?"

"Let's just say, dear, that if I ask for it someday… you release _the_ _beast _inside of you," Gold said and there was a dark fire in his eyes that Alice did not care for at all.

She knew what he meant and also knew that only a day earlier she wouldn't even have considered the option. But after having faced herself countless times and the night before found some hope again, the prospect, while still as frightening, didn't seem so remote. If it came to it, she would find the strength to fight for her family somehow, and knew the ordeal would be a whole lot simpler with them by her side as she was now offered.

Alice drew a deep, shuddering breath and audaciously met his gaze. While she did appreciate his offer, she knew there was far more to it than would ever be spoken out loud. "Don't take me for an idiot, Rumpelstiltskin. I know _exactly_ what you want from me."

The same mysterious smirk remained on his cold lips as he spoke, "Good. Means I haven't underestimated you, Ms Lewis."

"You're not getting it," Alice assured her foe.

The grin turned crooked, as if to say she was wrong. The woman didn't like the notion behind his victorious smirk at all, and liked it even less when Gold said, "We'll see about that, Alice. We'll see..."

Determined not to waste the opportunity, but convinced the cost could yet again turn into a high price in the future, Alice pondered her options. In the back of her mind, she knew there wasn't actually a decision to make for she had already made it. "Well... I agree to your terms."

Gold moved his cane from one hand to the other and extended his empty hand for her to shake. Without missing a beat, Alice reached forward and shook it with a firm grip and thereby sealed their deal.

"Congratulations, Alice. You may return to your family."

* * *

"So how was your day?" Jefferson asked as he took his daughter's hand in his own and crossed the street. He'd just picked Grace up from her school bus and Jefferson had reluctantly agreed to spend the afternoon at Granny's with, what Grace had described as, "the fun people".

"It was good," Grace said cheerfully as they headed down the sidewalk and she then proceeded to explain her day in excruciating detail.

As Jefferson tuned out some of the information, he smiled down at his girl and reminded himself how lucky he was to be able to listen to her long monologues every day.

As her hair flew in the wind and her eyes sparkled in the sunlight, Jefferson thought she looked like the spitting image of her mother and the thought pained him. He hadn't seen Alice since the day before she was admitted from the hospital and he wasn't sure whether to seek her out again or give her some breathing space to let her recollect herself. The past few days had been hard on all of them and in the end they had been left stranded at their standstill with nothing to do but wait.

On the other hand, Jefferson had yet to hear from Regina, and hoped that perhaps, despite it all, she could hand him a neat solution shortly. He knew Rumpelstiltskin sure as hell wasn't going to help them in that department.

Still, Jefferson didn't care. Both he and Grace had vowed to wait and even if that meant another thirty-four years, they would do it. Fate would come around to their side, sooner or later. Unfortunately, in their case it seemed far more likely to be later.

"...Jefferson."

The single word was barely audible above the soft wind and at the same time the wind itself seemed to carry it over to the father and child that walked down the road. Both Jefferson and Grace heard the word as if it had been shouted from the top of a roof, and froze mid-step. Grace glanced up at her father's stiff form before they turned around in unison to look at the source of the familiar voice.

Alice stood awkwardly a few yards away on the sidewalk and her pale eyes danced with unshed tears as she gazed back at them.

"It's over..." she said and her voice broke as she hesitantly took a step in their direction. "Rumpelstiltskin let me go."

As her voice lingered in the air of the afternoon, neither Grace nor Jefferson moved for fear of the moment breaking like fragile glass if they did. As they remained impassive and motionless, a tear slid down Alice's pale cheek.

She shuffled from one feet to the other as she tried to find a way to put her fears into words. Despite her best attempts, the words kept clogging up in her throat and she eventually only managed a weak, "Will you still have me back?"

Pulled from her shocked trance, Grace let go of her father's hand and ran towards her mother. Alice stooped down and gratefully embraced the young girl who basically jumped straight into her arms.

"Mom..." Grace muttered into her mother's hair and Alice tightly embraced her daughter for the first time in years as more tears fell from her eyes.

As she held Grace close, the blonde woman opened her relieved eyes and searched out her husband who still kept his distance.

Despite his best wishes, Jefferson had never in his maddest dreams expected his hopes to come true so soon and for a second he was immobile with doubt. He knew Rumpelstiltskin better than most and he knew his wife even better. It could never be as uncomplicated as her explanation had made it sound. Still as he gazed into his wife's sincere eyes, he saw that she was in her own way speaking the truth. She had come back to them. Whatever would come, she would face it by their side and afterwards stay with them.

As if in a daze, his feet steered him over to his wife and child and he tentatively knelt by their side. Both of them looked up at him with tear-filled eyes as Jefferson felt his own relief wash over him like the tide and with a laugh he embraced both the women in his life.

"Welcome back, dear," Jefferson whispered into Alice's ear and tenderly dried the fallen tears from her cheek before he pulled her close to him again.

* * *

_To be continued?_

_A/N: This is the first end to our tale of Jefferson and Alice, or at the very least the halfway mark. I have a follow-up story planned. In a way, if this was on OUaT, it would be a different "episode" but a story I've hinted at several times thus far. I've had it planned from the start, but I've been unsure whether to explore it or to stop here. I've decided to continue until the very end. _

_So, consider this the end of Part I if you will, and I hope you stay around for Chapter 14 (Part II). _

_If not, I hope you had fun reading The Curious and the Mad. It sure was a delight to write. Thank you for your time! Leave a review if you'd be so kind and have the time!_


	14. Honest Lies

_A/N: Part II has arrived! This chapter takes place only hours after S02xE16 so major spoiler alerts for those who have not watched the episode yet. _

_Remember, where this story does not directly contradict canon-OUaT, canon-OUaT events happened in this story, too._

* * *

**14. Honest Lies**

The weeks that followed brought life-sized surprises for the small town of Storybrooke.

Among the biggest were Arthur's unexpected return from the 'dead', Hook shooting Belle to make her cross the line on the road and as a result had her memories wiped, and not to mention the outsider from the 'real world' whose presence upset the careful balance created for the fairy tale characters in the little town.

Still, the chief bombshell to the villagers was the news Arthur had told them upon his return; Cora had come to town.

Despite everything, however, Jefferson, Alice and Grace kept their family mainly out of the loop, It had been a joint decision in order for the three of them to spend quality time together for the first time in forever. The small family of three hadn't been happier in just as long and there was no way they wanted to interrupt their much needed peace.

Still, in spite of all her bliss, Alice couldn't ignore the nagging sensation at the back of her mind that kept reminding her that nothing could ever last. Not even, or perhaps especially not, the happily ever after.

During her sixth week back where she belonged, her worries boiled to the surface when the turn of the tide came knocking on the front door, quite literally.

* * *

During the ordinary, and quite chilly, spring evening in Storybrooke, Alice was busy setting the table in preparation for their usual family dinner. As she worked, she inconspicuously listened to her husband tell their daughter a long, dragging tale as the two of them sat round the table.

The woman couldn't help but notice how the young girl repressed a yawn behind her hand as she rocked her chair and tried to pay close attention to her dad.

At last, just as Alice placed the last fork down on the table top, Jefferson finished his story with a warm smile, "…and that's the story of how I met your mother, Grace."

"Geez…" the girl sighed as she mockingly glanced up at the clock on the wall behind her. "You couldn't have told the short version?"

"He did, sweetie," Alice supplied with an understanding smile as she stopped behind her husband's chair and ran a hand through his thick head of hair. She leaned down and kissed his cheek until the hurt look washed off his features and was replaced by a gentle smile he reserved just for her. "Now, it's time you stopped stalling and go finish our dinner, Jefferson! We're _starving_!"

The grin was instantly wiped from the man's face. As he muttered bitterly to himself, Jefferson tiredly rose from his seat and strode over to the oven at the other end of the large kitchen. As he set to work while loudly clattering with pans and unused kitchen equipment, he seemed at a loss as he eyed the contents of the hot oven.

Confident he was out of range, Grace leaned towards her mother and whispered, "Do you actually think he succeeded this time?"

Alice sank down onto her chair as she shook her head firmly. "Not a chance."

"It's ready!" Jefferson exclaimed a few seconds later as he put on a pair of oven mitts, pulled the pan from the oven and turned to face the rest of his family. The man had managed to get the contents of the big pan basically the same texture and color; unfortunately, that color was close to midnight black. From a distance, the whole thing looked like one massive charcoal lump.

Alice tried to keep her face impassive as she nodded encouragingly. "Looks great, dear. Let's eat!"

The man didn't waste any time as he brought the pan over to the table and proceeded to give all three of them healthy slices of his homemade casserole. With a proud smile, Jefferson took his own seat and encouragingly nodded for his two girls to dig in.

"…What did you say was in it, now again?" Grace asked somewhat anxiously as she eyed the suspicious food on the plate her father had pushed towards her.

"Ham," Jefferson said.

"Are you sure?"

Jefferson rolled his eyes and turned his expectant gaze back to his wife instead. For the past few weeks now, he'd attempted to show her he'd improved with the everyday life over the years they'd been separated. The whole thing had begun innocently enough with Jefferson exaggerating his culinary skills and when he'd been called out on it, he had insisted he had simply been having a bad day. Since that first attempt, many bad days had followed.

The reason he had exaggerated in the first place was because he wanted to show her he had grown and partly because being reunited with his beloved wife made him feel exactly like the young man who had first met her all those years ago in Wonderland. It was as if he both wanted to improve for her and pretend he was good enough already, all at once. The whole thing created utter turmoil in Jefferson's body, somewhere between his head and heart.

In truth, his wife had more than once told him more she didn't care whether he could cook or not, because she already knew he had grown as a man.

Still, Jefferson, in turn, could also see Alice's own attempts to redeem herself, even though both he and Grace had told her there was nothing more to atone for. He hoped all of the recent awkward moment was just part of a faze and as soon as they crossed the last remaining hurdle, they could move forward and fully come to accept the fortunate deal they'd been handed.

Alice felt his gaze on her and quickly took a bite of the casserole. As she swallowed, the blonde woman immediately exchanged a blank look with her daughter beside her.

"Mm…" the woman managed but couldn't find any kind way to describe the disaster in her mouth. "…Mm."

"It's… better than four months ago," Grace offered meekly as she placed her fork back down on the table.

"Thanks," Jefferson genuinely smiled first at his wife and then turned to watch his darling daughter. "You're getting better and better at lying to my face, Grace. Who's up for ordering pizza?"

"Oh, _totally_," the young girl sighed in relief and ran for the phone in the other room before her father could even rise from his chair.

Alice laughed at her husband's look of defeat as he glanced down at the burned casserole and grasped his hand gently in her own. "You'll get there, honey."

Jefferson smirked at her as he squeezed her hand tenderly. "You on the other hand are getting _worse_ at lying to me."

The blonde woman smiled back and leaned in for a kiss. His warm lips closed over hers tenderly and the sensation still sent butterflies through her stomach. Though they'd been married for years, she still felt like they were new lovebirds each time he kissed her so lovingly. Alice figured their time spent apart only made their reunion thus much sweeter.

In the first week of getting back together, they'd had several big obstacles to overcome, but in the end it hadn't been as hard as Alice had feared. Both Jefferson and Grace had accepted her unconditionally and though there had been much to explain about her original deal with Jefferson, they'd listened to her with patience and understanding. She owed them a lot and she even felt something akin to gratefulness to Mr Gold for giving her a chance to reunite with them.

"I love you, you know?" Jefferson murmured and his wife gently stroked his cheek as she nodded in mute reply.

Their moment was interrupted by the loud, untimely sound of the doorbell. The couple frowned at each other and then turned their gazes up to the clock on the wall that steadily ticked towards an early night.

"It's past eight o'clock…" Alice said hesitantly. "It's a little bit late for a cookie sale, isn't it?"

"Maybe the pizzas are here already?" Jefferson suggested.

From the other room, Grace shouted, "I'll get it!"

Alice and Jefferson listened to her steps running hurriedly down the hallway and out of earshot. Jefferson turned back to his wife and squeezed her hand in his again. "Whoever it is, Grace is good at sending unwanted people away. Unless it's a cute boy… then I'm afraid we'll never get her to let him leave, you know."

Alice chuckled and leaned in for a soft kiss before her eyes were drawn to the open door further away and her confused daughter appearing in the opening.

"What is it, sweetie?"

The young girl glanced back at someone out of sight as she explained, "There's a man here to see you, mom. He says you know him."

"Who is it?" the blonde woman frowned. The words had barely died on her tongue when Grace stepped aside to let the tall, handsome man step into the kitchen and into full view. With his short, dark scruff, his pirate outfit and his unmistakable silver hook gleaming under the lights, Alice didn't have to ask again.

"It's me, love," the pirate captain grinned and stepped further into the room.

There was a slight limp to his steps as well as several visible cuts across his face and neck still visible from the night the other week when he had confronted Belle and Gold. If Alice remembered the rumors correctly, he'd been run over by the random outsider who'd come to town and been lucky to survive, though she figured the pain from his injuries was still not a walk in the park.

By her side, Jefferson shot out of his seat and eyed the pirate wearily even as Hook grimaced to indicate he had come in peace. Alice, meanwhile, noticed how her daughter curiously looked the pirate up and down once before her wide, pale eyes, which were too clever for her own good, were drawn to his hook.

"Grace, go play with Lewis in your room, will you?" the woman asked and not until her daughter was out of sight, did she turn back to the pirate, who still kept his distance. "What are you doing here, Hook?"

"Miss me, dear?"

Jefferson eyed the interaction between his wife and the pirate stranger and slowly gazed down at his still seated wife. He could feel the tension rise in the air by each passing second and wasn't sure how to interpret any of it. Though he was sure he'd heard the name Hook before back home, he couldn't figure out how the pirate could know his wife. "… Should I be jealous?"

"No," Alice promised.

At the same time, Hook firmly said, "Yes."

"_Certainly not_," the woman hissed and tugged on Jefferson's hand so make him sit down again. As he sunk back onto the chair she smiled at him with gratitude, and Jefferson felt some of his confusion melt away. Alice turned back to the pirate and waved a hand for him to talk. "Just tell us what you want so you can go away again."

Not one to beat about the bush, Hook leaned against the kitchen counter and swiftly set to work as had been asked of him. With a deep breath, he swiftly explained, "I came to give you the latest news, Alice. I thought you'd might like to know…"

"Know _what_?" the former hatter asked with a frown.

The pirate's pale eyes wandered from the man to the woman by his side slowly. Not until he was certain Alice was reading him correctly did he admit the reason for his visit, "… Cora is dead."

The silence was deafening in the grand kitchen and for a minute none said a word to disturb the moment for fear of making the words unsaid if they did. The information had certainly been unexpected, but not unpleasant. Still, dead or alive, not even news about Cora could ever be good.

Jefferson instinctively reached a hand up to the scarf around his neck and managed a hopeful, "How?"

The pirate shrugged and his pale eyes plainly spoke of his own confusion. "_Snow White_. To save Gold, she sacrificed Cora. Honestly, I'm surprised the good girl had it in her."

Alice shook her head and leaned forward, leaning her elbows on the tabletop as her eyes searched the pirate's. "I get the distinct feeling there's more to that story."

Hook grinned with an innocent air he didn't actually possess. "Not really. Gold and Emma flew out of town to find Gold's son. I followed them - you see, for us not part of the curse, our memories stay intact when we cross the town line - and stabbed Gold with my poisoned hook. They all rushed back to Storybrooke with my ship and left me behind. With my cunning, I, of course, found another way back home. And when I finally made it here… I'd already missed it all. I'm told Snow used a candle to curse Cora's heart into taking Gold's wound, healing him and killing her. Needless to say, it didn't go exactly how I planned…"

The blonde woman sighed and raised a thin eyebrow as Jefferson inconspicuously glanced back at her. While his wife spoke next, the man tried to see past her carefully, constructed walls in hope of getting any of the clues she was refusing to say out loud. "… Taking Belle away from him wasn't enough? Haven't you had your vengeance already?"

"Not quite," the pirate disagreed and glared at Alice. "And the _finale_ to my plans was quite rudely interrupted. Now that Rumpelstiltskin is miraculously healed and _powerful_ again... he'll definitely want more than my other hand for what I've done and tried to do."

"That's _your_ problem," the woman pointed out and her eyes spoke volumes about other truths Jefferson was sure had nothing to do with this particular conversation but something else in the joint past of his wife and the pirate.

"Yes," Hook agreed with an impatient nod and pushed away from the counter to walk closer to the table and the two seated adults. Suavely, he sank onto a chair and put both his feet up on the table top as he pointedly said, "but what's soon to be _everyone's_ problem is the repercussions to Cora's death."

"What do you mean?" Alice asked as she wearily eyed the shoes on top of the table.

"Though she is _sadly _not with us anymore," the pirate said all too sarcastically. "… Her death left room for a darker beast to evolve."

"_Regina_… " Jefferson breathed grimly and set his jaw.

Hook nodded once and winked at the blonde woman. "Clever. I see why you married him… That witch will grow more and more powerful with her new-found hatred of Snow White and anyone that isn't her dead mother. She _will_ destroy this town. As soon as she's destroyed the princess. It's only a matter of time. Mark my words."

"… And what does any of this have to do with me?" Alice asked and, too, feigned innocence.

"I told you; I just wanted you to have the news. For now…" Hook shrugged but his piercing eyes told another tale.

Even if his subtext hadn't been so thick, the woman would have read him loud and clear. Alice nodded once to let him know she understood and apparently that was all the pirate desired for he swiftly stood from the chair in one fluid motion. He eyed the burnt casserole on the table once before he said his farewell and then limped out of the house without another word.

When they were left alone once more, the tension still lingered in the pirate's wake like a ticking bomb and Jefferson eyed the seat Hook had recently vacated.

Not certain what had just transpired, the former hatter turned to his beloved wife and tried to read her for more clues. Alice's ocean colored eyes were clouded with thought and she seemed miles away, but there was nothing either bright or clear Jefferson could actually read in them. A warning echoed at the back of his mind and on the brink of being frightened, he cupped her hands with his own calloused ones and held on tight.

"Hey… it'll be fine, Alice," he offered with a warm smile. "Even if Regina becomes more of a monster now, we'll still be safe."

"Maybe for a little while... but Hook was right. It is only a matter of time now," she whispered and her eyes were gazing at something so deep within herself, Jefferson thought she was almost beyond his reach.

In hope of drawing her out of her dark place, the man asked, "Out of curiosity, Alice, how did you know that pirate?"

His wife shrugged as she shut herself off from his attempts to read her and Jefferson felt his own fatigue wash over him. With an innocent, though tight smile, she said, "I _don't_ know him."

Jefferson tilted his head sideways, until his chin pressed against his thick, soft scarf, and said, "_Alice_…"

"I don't. Honest," the woman maintained her stand.

The man pondered her words and frowned in confusion. "Then what did he actually want with you?"

Alice shrugged as her features remained impassive. "You heard him. _Nothing_. Well, except to spread the news."

With a sigh, Jefferson asked, "… Is the truth really so hard?"

The woman shook her head as she stood from her seat to clear the table. Her smile was carefree as she shrugged down at him without a care in the world. "I'm not lying. Just trust me, Jefferson."

Her husband watched her work for a few seconds until she turned her back on him and walked over to the sink with the dirty dishes and set to work on getting it all clean.

Reluctantly, Jefferson kept watching her back as he sighed. In a dark voice, he muttered, "... I do trust you."

* * *

Gold looked up as the bell do his pawn shop chimed and his eyes locked with Emma's.

"_Well_?" the elder man asked expectantly.

"Mary Margaret is with David and Neil. She's safe. Regina's disappeared again… Well, _for now_. She did threaten to come back for Mary Margaret's head," the woman sighed as she closed the door behind her and stepped towards the man in the shop that only hours earlier had been a battle ground. "What about you? Fully recovered yet?"

"Oh, I'm feeling better than in a long time, Ms Swan... All thanks to your family," Gold grinned tightly and leaned against a counter top. "You're right, though. Regina will be back shortly… and whatever magic she'll release first on Mary Margaret and then on the rest of us, won't be pretty."

"You're powerful, too," the woman pointed out slowly as she stepped closer and eyed the man she'd recently been forced to start calling family. "With you on our side, the score evens out a little. Right?"

"I don't think you understand, Ms Swan," Gold said and searched for the right words to describe the tricky situation. "If you think Regina's been evil _before_, I think I can guarantee we've seen _nothing_ yet… Who knows? It's possible Cora taught her skills I can't best. Regina's magic is fueled by hatred and the Queen has never been this angry before. Which means… she's never been as powerful either."

Emma sighed in frustration as she felt the rug being pulled from under her feet time and time again while her worry for her family increased. "Well… what do we do then? Do we just sit and wait for her to attack Mary Margaret? Is there anything _I_ can do?"

The elder man shrugged, "Keep your mother safe."

"Magic-wise, I meant."

"_Keep your mother safe_," Gold repeated with a pointed look and Emma sighed at his cryptic nature. She opened her mouth to speak, but the man held up both hands for her to wait and listen to him instead. Slowly, he continued, "While I have my powers back, the fact remains that if Regina finds darker powers, and I have no doubt that she will, there's only really one person who could help us _defeat_ her. Truthfully… I don't know every spell in the world. If I did, Belle would have her memory back, for starters. The darkest spells are most often ancestral secrets and thus not something you _chat_ about with the Dark One."

"…But?" Emma asked hopefully.

Gold smirked. "_But_ there is another witch in Storybrooke who might possess ancestral secrets, one who used to be as powerful as Regina and could summon magic to match the Queen's powers."

The woman wet her lips and anxiously asked the question, "... Who?"

"Do you remember the Hatter's long lost wife; _Alice_?" Gold asked and Emma immediately nodded. "She's the one you're going to need to ask for help. With her by your side, you two together could do more than I could to _even out the scores_ with Regina.."

"Why don't you go to see her?" Emma asked suspiciously. "You changed the deal you made with her, didn't you? She's back with Jefferson and their daughter, if I remember correctly. If you're on her good side now, you should probably be the one to see her."_  
_

"That's doubtful, Emma. There's a lot to overcome that will never be overcome between us, I'm afraid," the man sighed with a grimace. "Even though I did alter our deal, I can't ask favors of her unless they are of the _extreme kind_. The rest... I have to leave up to you, or I risk breaking our altered deal."

"It's _not_ extreme that the Evil Queen wants Mary Margaret dead?" Emma asked with a glare and crossed her arms over her chest. "For Pete's sake, Gold... Mary Margaret _saved_ your life and she's been blaming herself for Cora's death ever since... Is there nothing you can do for her?"

"I've told Mary Margaret she made the right choice. And I'll do my best to protect her in return for what she did... but I can't go to Alice for help yet," Gold shrugged his shoulders before he cleared his throat and grew more serious. "... There's one problem, though. Alice doesn't actually possess any magic at the moment. She needs to regain them in order to be of use to us."

"So…" Emma began as she pondered the dubious man's suggestion. "… I ask her to aid us, help her regain her powers and then we stop Regina together?"

The man nodded. "Yes. Well... that's the plan, at least."

The blonde woman raised her chin as she wearily eyed the man before her. She'd grown accustomed to how Mr Gold usually worked and couldn't help but feel there was something far more intricate and secret to this than what the man desired for her or anyone else to know. Doubtfully, Emma asked, "And that's all there is to it…?"

"Oh, yes. That's _all_..." Gold said with a cunning smile and Emma knew he was blatantly lying to her.

* * *

_To be continued._

_A/N. This was mostly a filler chapter to start off Part II, but bear with me! This is all just getting started..._


	15. Quid Pro Gold

**15. Quid Pro Gold**

As Gold watched Emma walk out of his pawn shop, his memories travelled back a couple of days to another evening and another visitor. He remembered the night vividly that Cora had appeared in his shop for the first time since her arrival in Storybrooke, still dressed in a regal, dark blue gown and hell bent on getting her daughter back.

She'd come bearing a peace offering to him in exchange for him letting her reunite with her daughter without interruption. A deal he had, without much difficulty, accepted fair and square. Still, it was not this deal that he now remembered, but rather the conversation they had shared after sealing the deal. The words echoed in his mind now, as if the scene once more was taking place right before his eyes.

_Gold lowered his eyes from the woman before him and asked in a low voice, "… Do you have any spells to return memories?"_

_With a slight shake of the head, the elder woman smiled and admitted, "I only know what you taught me… master." As she continued, she closed the distance between them. "So will you accept my offer of a truce?"_

_Gold hesitated only a beat before he held out his hand for her, "…Truce."_

_Cora shook it firmly but as her hand dropped away, she suggested in a whisper, "Let's seal it like we used to."_

_Without waiting for an invitation, the woman stepped even closer and invaded his personal space before she gently leaned forward and kissed his lips. Gold returned the action during the second it lasted and then felt the warmth of Cora's body slip away from him._

_He opened his eyes and watched her step back only a few paces while a murky look passed over her features. With a scowl, Gold pointed out, "There's something else."_

_"I have a warning for you, Rumpelstiltskin," the sinister witch said and her eyes sparkled under the lights from above. "I know what was going on here before I appeared. What you and my daughter were planning. I intend to assure my daughter it was a __**terrible**__ idea, and I'm sure it won't be hard when I give her the details."_

_The man's frown only intensified as he leaned against his cane. "… Is this some sort of threat?"_

_Cora shook her head with a slight, crooked grin on her full lips. "It is genuinely just a warning, master. You and my daughter should know that the dangers far exceeds anything you had to gain from it." _

_"I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about, Cora."_

_With a knowing look, the woman begged to differ. "Then let me refresh your memory; her name is __**Alice**__. You planned for her to regain her magic and stop me. Problem is, you fail to see why that would only bring with it more destruction. I'm surprised you're willing to overlook important information about her family's magic."_

_The man sighed and feigned disinterest, "If you're referring to the fact that-"_

_**"I am**__, Rumpel," Cora interrupted with a stern stare that could have cut through stone. "And you know I'm right. The magic that once ran through her veins and that you want to restore to her is mighty strong. So powerful they were almost beyond control and would indeed have been a source of destruction if you had not found a way to contain it in the first place. If you release __**the beast**__ in this world, where I'm told magic is far from trustworthy… are you sure you can control it? Control __**her**__?"_

_"She doesn't need controlling," Gold insisted in a short tone. _

_"Correction, dear. She didn't need it in the __**past**__. But she's been powerless for over thirty years. To control ones magic, one needs constant practice. She won't be able to control anything when the magic suddenly rushes through her body again. Are you sure you want to release that unsafe, dark magic in this world?"_

_"You're wrong, Cora."_

_"…And what if I'm not?"_

With a sigh, Gold pushed the memory of their conversation to the back of his mind where it could do no harm. He knew he was doing the right thing by sending Emma to Alice, even despite of the words Cora had told him. Still, he couldn't entirely forget it and a small part of him couldn't help but wish that she wouldn't return from the afterlife simply to say "I told you so".

* * *

The next morning only a few minutes past nine, Emma parked her sheriff's car by the side of the road. She looked up at the buildings as she realized she hadn't been to these parts of the town before in spite of having spent such a long time there already. She had thought Storybrooke was so small there were no more places to discover, but obviously she'd been wrong. Then again, with fairy tale creatures all around, Emma knew she shouldn't be surprised by anything.

As she killed the engine and stepped outside, she glanced into the small alley beside her, just to make sure she was at the right spot. In the far end of the alley, Emma saw the shop she was after and briskly headed towards it.

She glanced up at the extravagant sign that simply read 'Tea Shop' and wasted no time as she opened the charming, little door. As she stepped inside, the bell above the door chimed and a voice shouted from the back room.

"I'll be right with you!"

The sheriff took her time to look over the grand selection of tea cups on the numerous shelves around her and just as she bent down to inspect a sweet cup with white rabbits on it, Alice stepped out from the back room.

The shop owner paused as she saw the other blonde woman and with an awkward smile, Alice managed, "Traffic in this shop has increased dramatically lately. Unfortunately, the sale hasn't gone up with it… Sheriff Swan, isn't it?"

Emma stretched tall as she put the cup back down and nodded her head. "Yep. And you're Alice, right?"

The other woman nodded as she slowly moved out from behind the counter and walked right up the sheriff. With curiosity in her wide, blue eyes, Alice asked, "Is this about my accident six weeks ago? If it is, I must say that's slow police work. Then again, there have been more important things to tend to, haven't there?"

"Yeah, sorry about that," Emma grimaced as she crossed her arms over her chest. "You don't happen to remember anything about the hit and run, do you?"

Alice shook her head. "Afraid not. I wasn't paying attention to the driver and didn't see anything that might help solve it. I suppose it really was a freak accident."

"Well… that's a bummer," the sheriff said even as she read the lie in the other woman's eyes.

With a mystified frown, Alice tilted her head sideways and watched the sheriff's honest face. "That… wasn't what you came for. Is this about Cora? I heard what happened yesterday."

Emma cleared her throat. "…You knew her?"

The other woman grimaced and sighed. "It's… complicated. We weren't exactly friends, to put it mildly. I think Mary Margaret did us all a favor."

It was the sheriff's turn to grimace as she glanced down at her boots before meeting the other woman's gaze once more. "Mind telling her that? She's not her own fan at the moment."

Alice nodded in understanding. "Regrets, huh?"

"Yeah… You could say that. Mary Margaret can't look past what she did. She may have saved us all a lot of pain, but… it's eating her up. She's not a dark person, and so doing dark deeds, even for good reasons…" Emma trailed off.

"I know the feeling…" Alice said and for a second the sheriff saw her eyes look inwards at something far beneath the surface. As if pulling herself out from a deep lake, Alice inhaled and her eyes cleared as she asked, "What about Regina?"

"Last time I saw her, she promised to avenge her mother's death and there might have been an implication that she would bring the whole city to ruin," Emma explained in a tired voice that betrayed her own heart and despair. She couldn't forget the fact that she'd mistrusted Regina when she had done no wrong, and now they would never have another chance to see the good in the Evil Queen.

"One would expect nothing less from her," the shop owner said pointedly. "… And I have a feeling we are getting closer to the real topic you want to discuss with me."

Emma sighed and closed her eyes in an attempt to clear her mind. When she opened them again, she decided to be frank, "Look… I'm here because Gold suggested you might be able to help us stop Regina. I can't risk her killing Mary Margaret or anyone else this time. She has to be stopped before she can do any harm."

"…_Gold_?" Alice questioned and raised a surprised eyebrow. "That sneaky bastard…"

"Yeah, well, he said something about not being able to ask you for help personally… but he sounded quite sure you might actually make a difference if you join our side."

The shop owner ran a weary hand through her hair and then shook her head. "It's not that easy."

"He explained that. He said you used to have powers but don't anymore. If you just promise to help us, I could-"

The other woman held up her hands to silence Emma as she sighed slowly and almost painfully. Alice lowered her hands as she tried to find the words to describe her plight, without giving away any vital information whatsoever. In the end, there was only one thing to say, "I want to be left out of it. I just got my husband and child back… I can't do anything to endanger that. Even if it is for a good reason… The price is too high for me."

The sheriff nodded and uncrossed her arms. "I understand. I recall the first time I saw you, it was in Gold's pawn shop. You were asking Gold to leave you out of the loop… I shouldn't have come here and asked you the same as him. Unlike Mr. Gold, I believe in respecting people's wishes. I can't promise I won't be back if I'm left with no other option, but for now we'll find a way to do fine without you. And I don't care what Gold says on that matter. Thank you for time."

With a warm smile, Emma held out her hand expectantly.

"Thank _you_," Alice said and shook the offered hand in a sign of friendship and understanding. As her hand fell back to her side, Emma smiled a final time at the other woman. Alice watched as the sheriff turned around, opened the door and walked out of the small shop without another word.

The second the sheriff was out of sight, Alice clenched her fists by her sides and exhaled. "…_Dammit_."

* * *

Later that same afternoon, there was another guest to the store and this time Alice wasn't even surprised to realize it wasn't a potential shopper.

As she gazed up at the person in the open doorway, the woman muttered a low, "I should get a sign saying 'Buying customers only'…"

"Then how could I ever talk to you one on one?" Hook asked as he closed the door and stepped towards her. "I have no use for a tea cup on my ship. But now that you're reunited with your family, you're a hard one to get on your own… So…"

"Hook, I-"

The pirate raised his characteristic hook as he casually leaned against a shelf. As he spoke next, his voice turned more and more vile and passively aggressive, "I don't want to ask you for this favor, but we both knew I was coming back after that night in the woods. We clarified the details as to _why_ last night… I obviously need help to kill Rumpelstiltskin. I had him powerless, and even managed to stab him, and he _still_ survived. And all the sudden… he's Ms Swan's _family_. Which means that they're all staying together in their merry bunch and protecting each other, including Gold. I'm not going to get such a chance again, because he's back in Storybrooke and, along with it, his magic."

Having grown somewhat accustomed to his unsubtle mannerisms, Alice followed his lead and jumped straight to the point, "…And he will be determined to avenge Belle's amnesia. Yes, I got the picture loud and clear last night. Still can't help you."

"Yes, you can," the pirate disagreed with a low, guttural growl.

"Fine. I _can_, I just won't. You knew that already."

The pirate captain sighed as he pushed away from the shelf and slowly walked towards her. He wasn't used to having to work so hard to convince a woman, and it wasn't a struggle he particularly liked. Still, he wasn't one to give up without a fight and so insisted, "And you know what I'm saying is true, too. Why keep the crocodile around so that he can do more evil to the people around us? You know we're all better off with him joining Cora in the afterlife."

"Maybe…" Alice admitted with a simple shrug of the eyebrows. "He may have helped me return to my family, but deep down, of course I don't trust him or think he's actually changed. He's done too much evil to ever be good… But I've decided not to take sides at all."

The woman turned from him in hopes of ending the conversation once and for all when Hook drew her right back with his simple question, "What about Regina?"

With a scowl on her fair features, the blonde woman turned back around. "Yes, what about her?"

"We'd all be better off without her, too."

"What is this?" Alice asked in amusement. "Do you just want to be the baddest egg in town, is that it?"

Ignoring her words, the captain firmly stated, "She _will_ make a lot of damage now that she's broken. And while that might amuse me, I'm certain it won't do _you_ any good… She knows your story, remember? She knows you can be powerful again, but she won't let you be… In fact, I guarantee you that she'd rather _destroy_ you than even risk the possibility of you regaining what you've lost."

"It doesn't matter," the woman said and there was a dark tone to her voice which she hope the pirate would pick up on.

If he did, he did a good job of pretending the implication was lost on him as his storm colored eyes seemed more determined than ever before to alter her set mind. He knew he was fighting an up-hill battle, but also knew that should he win, he could have fought the last battle he would ever have to fight. Still, as his attempts grew more desperate, his temper was starting to flare with impatience. He really didn't appreciate Alice playing so hard to get with him.

With an imploring look, Hook said, "If you just did what I asked, helped me this _one_ time… you could end all the other evils. You could make it all stop and everyone could move forward to our true happily ever after… Leave it all behind. But if you refuse me… terrible things will happen."

Alice glared up at the tall, handsome man and somberly asked, "Is that a threat, _Hook_?"

"It could be," the captain agreed in a short tone that told her he was done playing, too, and had moved right past the point of no return. "I'm serious, Alice… It could all be done with quickly if you helped. Instead… you are willing to risk what _Regina_ might do to you. In fact, I'm willing to bet she won't come after you first. Not until she's done targeting your beloved, loyal family. She'll make you lose that which you hold dearest in order to guarantee that you will _never _stand up against me-_her_."

The woman could feel the anger pump through her core with each passing word the man spat at her. She didn't like his tone nor his implication and suddenly wished she had never him in the first place.

"Stop this…" she whispered as he leaned over the counter and glared down at her.

The captain merely pushed on, "She'll find your husband and rip his heart out… She'll crush it to dust and make your daughter watch him die. …As for your daughter-"

_"Stop…"_ Alice urged again as the anger grew so intense her entire body almost shook from the fury of it.

Caught up in his own anger, Hook's burning eyes betrayed the fact he was nowhere close to the end, "_Your daughter_ will be the unluckiest, I'm afraid. After making her watch her father die, Regina will do unspeakable things to her, to break the young girl's spirit once and for all. She'll tell her how you abandoned them and she'll take the last hope from her before she even turns to physical violence. If she's cruel enough and lets your daughter live, she will _never_ be the same-"

_"Stop_!" Alice shrieked and swept her hand in the pirate's general direction. Hook was suddenly thrown viciously across the small shop and his body slammed against the closest shelf. As both man and shelf was knocked to the ground, tea cups fell all around and clattered loudly as they shattered against the floor beside the man.

With a nasty cut above his right eyebrow, Hook managed to raise his body and glance up at Alice through heavy, clouded eyes. With a shaky breath, he fragilely asked, "… You have magic?"

The woman's eyes were wide as saucers as she watched the pirate with nothing but disbelief in her own gaze. She had no reply for him, for in truth, she was at a loss for words to describe the energy that had surged through her and made all of this happen. Alice watched as Hook slumped to the ground unconscious as the blood oozed from the cut on his forehead.

"… H-Hook?" her voice broke as her unblinking eyes watched the mess created in her store.

At that same time, the bell chimed above the door and Alice's wide eyes immediately flew to the new guest who stepped inside.

With a mysterious grin, Gold glanced from the woman and down to the tower of shards amidst where the unconscious pirate lay, before his chocolate colored eyes once more flew up to meet the woman's.

"Well, well…" he cooed. "_This_ is interesting."

* * *

_To be continued…_


	16. (Un)welcome Advice

**16. (Un)welcomed Advice**

Drained from all her power, Alice leaned heavily against the wall and gazed down at the unconscious pirate in her shop. Her gaze lingered a few seconds on the mayhem she herself had created before she tore her gaze from the view to look up at Gold. The elder man, in turn, was gazing at her with the most unreadable of looks in his dark, all-seeing eyes.

"…_What_?" the woman spat as she withdrew her phone from her pocket and called for an ambulance to help the wounded man. As she finished the call and swiftly hung up, Alice noticed how Gold's eyes had drifted down to glare at Hook with a most dark twinkle to them.

Without thought, the blonde woman immediately raised her hand at him and furiously ordered, "_No!_ You'll leave the pirate alone. I know you want him dead, but I've done him enough harm today, don't you agree?"

Reluctantly, the elder man turned from his fallen nemesis and sighed heavily as he gazed across the space at the woman in front of him. "Would you prefer it if we talk about the cause of all this?"

The woman opened her mouth, but no words with which she could reply to the question passed her lips. In truth, it was the last question she had ever hoped would be directed at her and Alice felt at a complete less exactly how to explain what she had done. She knew even loss how to deal with it and each time she tried to come to her senses, the dark truth kept glaring her in the face. She had unwillingly and unwittingly crossed a line, and now she wasn't certain she could do like the ostrich and stick her head in the sand in an attempt to evade the inevitable. No matter how much she might wish it.

"I need to call Jefferson…" she whispered distantly but Gold shook his head.

"Let's not involve your husband just yet, shall we? Or do you wish to explain to him how and why you have magic in you?"

"Fair point," Alice nodded and swallowed back her fears. "… how did it happen, Rumpelstiltskin?"

"I've already told you," the man said enigmatically and stepped closer. With each limping step towards her, Alice felt positively ready to flee and never turn back around. "_You have magic within you_… And now you can't deny that fact anymore."

"I'm not supposed to have magic," the woman pointed out and her eyes desperately pleaded with him to make the recent events undone. "My sister made sure of that."

Gold stepped over the shards of the tea cups and the pirate's legs as he knowingly said, "When Emma, Henry and I went to find Baelfire, I lost my magic the minute I crossed over the town line. I realized, however, that it was never truly gone from me. As soon as I stepped into Storybrooke again, my powers were restored. That's the funny thing about magic; while you might lose it… it never disappears."

The woman shook her head. "That still doesn't explain _my_ situation."

"Perhaps not," the elder man agreed as he came to a halt by the counter and leaned against it as his piercing eyes seemed able to read all the woman's secrets with that one glance. "But there's no point in me explaining something that you already understand."

Alice was taken aback by his words and lowered her gaze to the floor as the thoughts swirled through her exhausted mind. "… It was no coincidence that you sent Ms. Swan here this morning, was it? _The Savior_. I've been told her touch restores magic… and I shook her hand."

"And there's your answer…" the man breathed as a victorious grin spread across his thin lips.

"So… does this mean my powers are fully restored?" the woman managed to ask and the question scared her more than she cared to let on. As her heart drummed away furiously in her chest, she awaited the dreaded answer.

The man shrugged. "I doubt it. As you said, your sister took your powers from you. But there are still traces of magic in your soul that no one can ever take from you."

"… And what am I supposed to do with a _tiny _amount of magic, Gold?" the woman asked with a huff and knew she'd found the Achilles' heel to whatever plan the man was keeping from her.

The man merely grinned mysteriously but refrained from commenting and Alice wondered if perhaps she had misread his intentions, after all. Or perhaps not misread as much as she had underestimated his influence on everyone's lives. Whatever he held secret, it was plain he wasn't going to reveal anything to her at the present time.

Alice sighed and her shoulders slumped in defeat. " I should call the sheriff and report this…"

* * *

Not thirty minutes later, Emma stepped through the door of the small tea shop for the second time that day, with Mary Margaret right behind her.

The sheriff's eyes were immediately drawn down to the floor, where a significant amount of shards covered most of the floor to her left, and a small pool of blood indicated the existence of a wounded party. Based on the phone call she'd gotten from Alice earlier, she already knew who it concerned and was far from surprised by his involvement and ability to leave nothing but destruction in his wake, yet again. On the sidewalk outside the shop, Emma had taken a minute to call Dr Whale for an update and had been told Hook suffered from a minor concussion but was otherwise fine. Emma had to admit it seemed the pirate had more lives than a cat.

The sheriff looked up from the shards and saw the shop owner as well as Mr. Gold at the other end of the shop. There was a heavy tension lingering in the air and Emma knew that whatever she'd just walked into could only be resembled to the moment someone stepped on a mine, forcing everyone around that person to await the inevitable explosion.

Emma glanced behind her at Mary Margaret. The latter looked tense but composed as she followed her daughter further into the scene of the 'crime'. Emma had been reluctant to let the other woman join her, since Regina was in such a revengeful mood. But with David getting some much needed sleep after keeping his wife safe, Emma had felt Mary Margaret was safer by her side than left alone.

"Just talked to Whale. Hook has a concussion and should be on his feet by tomorrow," the sheriff said at last as she stepped over the shards to stand by Alice's side. "...How are you?"

"I'm fine," the shop owner promised.

Mary Margaret joined the small group, and glanced behind her at the destruction. "What happened exactly?"

Without too much detail, Alice recounted the events as the other two women listened intently. As she finished, the mother and daughter exchanged a look.

"So… you have magic again?" Emma managed confusedly.

"Thanks to _you_ she does," Gold nodded with a crooked grin that only added to the sheriff's puzzlement.

Emma's frown disappeared shortly, however, as she grasped the truth. "… So _that's_ the real reason why you wanted _me _to visit Alice, isn't it? Gold, she _doesn't want_ to play in your games. You can't manipulate people like chessmen simply to fit your game plan."

"I'd say it's apparent that I can," the elder man disagreed with a dark, dulcet voice.

"Ms. Swan is right…" Alice spoke up. "I don't want to play, and I don't intend to join your side simply because of _this_. Tell me honestly, Rumpel, do you have any idea what repercussions this could have for me?"

The elder man shook his head. "No."

"… Then I need to ask someone who does. Someone who could help me return to normal. Someone who can tell me what to do."

"_I _can still tell you what to do," Gold insisted most unkindly.

Alice glared over her shoulder at the elder man and her hatred was written plainly across her features. " I don't want your advice."

Mary Margaret glanced at Emma by her side before she chipped in, "I'll come with you. I could help."

Three pairs of eyes turned to watch the teacher in immense surprise. The shop owner faltered as her gaze tried to read the short-haired woman without much success. "… You could?"

Mary Margaret nodded firmly and elaborated, "I know what it's like to be alone when no one listens or believes in you. You could use the support, even if you don't know it right now. Besides, I could use the distraction…"

The shop owner understood her perfectly. With the Evil Queen bound to appear sooner or later, and thus forcing the princess to live in constant fear, it was no wonder Mary Margaret needed a break and so she had Alice's full sympathy.

"… Okay. Meet me back here in an hour then. I need to take care of some things first."

* * *

Killian cracked one eye open. As the light pierced it like a sword, the man felt pain invade his head and with a hiss he closed it tightly once more.

"Hurts like hell, doesn't it?"

Confused and surprised, the pirate's eyes flew open on their own accord to search out his unexpected guest and he completely forgot about the pain as he found the blonde woman seated on a chair close to his bed.

"What's this…?" he asked hoarsely. "Come to finish me off?"

Alice chuckled and shook her head. "Not exactly… Unless you threaten my kid again."

There was something dark to her voice and Hook wasn't as surprised by that fact as her presence in his infirmary room.

He gazed about him and realized he was once more back in the hospital gowns he'd grown to hate last time he'd been stuck in this place only weeks before. He also noticed how the curtains on all the walls around them were drawn shut, meaning there was no way for curious by-passers to look inside and see what transpired within the small infirmary room.

This last fact in particular peaked the man's curiosity and he leaned back against the pillows as his gaze returned to the woman by his bedside and attempted to read her.

Alice was wearing a grey coat despite being indoors, a tell-tale sign she was not intending to stay. There was something unreadable in her gaze mixed with an honest regret that swirled round and round in her ocean-colored orbs. Whatever she'd come there to say, it wasn't going to be as nasty as he'd expected from a woman who'd thrown him into a shelf just an hour earlier.

"So…" Hook began. "… you have magic?"

The woman shook her head with a slight grimace. "Not here to talk about that."

The captain scooted up on his bed until he was almost sitting up before he turned back to her again. "Then _why_ are you here?"

"To apologize," Alice said frankly. "For throwing you into a shelf _and_ for the concussion…"

"I deserved it," the man shrugged and slowly reached for the bandaged cut on his forehead. As his hand fell back to his side, Hook asked the question which completed her apology and had burned strong within his chest for a long while. "_And…_ for not helping me?"

"Not helping you in the manner you might prefer from me," she corrected.

Just as the captain opened his mouth to question her words, the woman scooted closer to him and covered the wound on his forehead with both of her hands. With a shuddering breath, Alice closed her eyes and the pirate remained completely immobile as the confusion spread through his body. Suddenly, Hook felt a warm energy flow through his head and his pain lessened until it was entirely gone.

The woman slumped over and looked about ready to faint herself. With Hook's firm hand on her shoulder, she managed to recover somewhat and slumped back into her chair instead. Her eyes closed as she tried to control her heaving breaths as the man once more reached out to touch the wound. He ripped off the band-aid and felt the skin for the cut, only to find that his forehead was untouched by any wound.

"You healed me…" the pirate breathed in confusion and his eyes searched out the woman's. As he saw the fatigue in her eyes, he realized a second truth. "You may have magic, but it's not very strong magic… Is it?"

"No. Even if I wanted to help you with your plan, which I _don't_… I couldn't," the woman admitted as she closed her eyes to ward off a wave of dizziness. "…But you were right that night in the woods. And just as you understand me, I understand your plight. What pains you've suffered through because of one man."

With a sigh, Hook felt some of his walls crumble. It seemed every attempt he tried to get closer to his goal, the further away from it he ended up. He had honestly believed he could sway the woman's mind eventually, since the two of them shared such a spiteful bond towards their mutual nemesis. But having seen the limitations of her powers himself, and how worn she was after simply healing a small cut, he knew it was futile to continue.

The pirate solemnly lowered his gaze. "I'm sorry about threatening your daughter, by the way."

"I know. I also know you're not actually evil, Killian, you're just… a little morally crooked. Your soul is only black because Rumpelstiltskin made it that way," the woman said and managed a slight, comforting smile at the end of her monologue.

"He ruined you, too, though..."

"But he never tainted my soul dark like the night. I don't hate Rumpelstiltskin enough to kill him."

"_At the moment_," Hook pointed out.

Alice let out an amused breath and nodded in agreement, "Perhaps… I _am_ on your side against _the Dark One_, and that will never change. Remember that. But also remember that I won't kill him for you."

With those words, she stood from her seat as if to leave, but stopped herself half-way through the room. She whirled back around and glanced down at the man who'd thrown the covers off his body and was reaching for his pirate uniform on the table next to him.

"I could give you some advice… If you'd listen?" she offered.

Hook noticed his precious hook which lay on the seat Alice had just occupied and slowly gazed up at her, surprised to realize she had yet again done him a favor. "Sure."

The woman lowered her voice to be sure they weren't overheard as she said, "If you want to fully have your revenge on the Dark One… all you need to do is win Belle's heart. Fair and square. She is a sweet woman, and deserves more than a _monster_ that can never atone for his past and present sins."

With a disbelieving gaze, Hook pointed out a vital flaw in her suggestion. "… I _shot_ Belle."

The woman shrugged as if she didn't consider this a problem. "She doesn't remember _anything_ about the incident. Nor anything else of her life, as you know. Besides, you fired a bullet you knew wouldn't kill her. It wasn't your direct intention to actually hurt _Belle_, was it?"

"No, I wanted Rumpelstiltskin to feel-"

Alice interrupted, "_Exactly_. And you did. Now you have a chance to make _her_ see that she doesn't belong with that man, a man she doesn't even remember loving because of her amnesia. I believe you've given her a _tabula rasa_. Call it a fresh start, if you will. One you can steer into the _right_ direction. Goodbye, Hook… and good luck. You'll need it."

* * *

Back in her shop, Alice gazed up at the clock on the wall and realized she still had fifteen minutes before Mary Margaret was set to arrive. It gave her enough time to call her husband, simply to hear a voice of reassurance after the mad couple of hours she'd had so far. And knowing what was yet to come, the day wasn't likely to turn better.

As she dialed the familiar number, she pressed the phone against her ear and impatiently waited.

"Hello," Jefferson's voice sounded after a couple of long seconds as he picked up.

"Hey, dear," Alice breathed and couldn't help the relieved smirk that passed her lips every time she heard his voice.

"Alice, is everything alright, honey?" there was plain worry on his voice and the woman knew he'd heard the weariness in her own voice. He'd always been good at picking up subtle things like that, even if he often remained unsure what exactly it meant.

"Everything's fine," she lied and then corrected herself, "Well, everything _will be _fine. Soon."

There was a brief pause and Alice could practically hear her husband think over the phone. At last, his dulcet tones asked, "… What's happened? Where are you? Do you want me to come to you?"

"No… I'm fine. It's fine," she smiled into the phone but at the same time wished her mad hatter was actually standing by her side. Still, she knew that if he was with her now, she would surrender to her pains and worries and tell him things that could never become unsaid. And she wasn't ready to face that fear yet. "You don't have to come."

"Are you _sure_ nothing's happened?"

Alice nodded as she briefly forgot he couldn't see her face. "_Yes_. Don't worry."

Jefferson seemed in a stubborn mood for he asked, "Then what is it?"

"You'll learn it all soon enough. I just wanted to call and let you know that I might be a little late for dinner tonight. There's something I have to do before I can come home."

"… And there's no point in me asking what you're doing, is there? It's fine, love. I'll save you some dinner and see you when you come home. But you owe me one for having to listen to Grace's day in detail all by myself with no one to distract me..."

The woman chuckled. "I promise to make it up to you."

"Be careful," Jefferson said in a low voice and at first Alice thought she'd heard him wrong.

With a hesitant grimace, she replied, "I always am. Love you… Bye."

As she hung up the phone, Alice realized there was someone standing in the open doorway. Her eyes flew up to meet the chocolate colored ones of Mary Margaret. She simply read the truth in the teacher's eyes and knew she'd heard the entire conversation between husband and wife.

Even though Alice and Mary Margaret didn't know each other well at all, nor had ever laid eyes on each other in the fairy tale world, both women felt little tension in each other's presence. After all, they were not so dissimilar as first glances revealed and it was the only reason Alice had agreed for the other woman to accompany her this afternoon. It was also the reason that she now didn't try to hide the truth from Mary Margaret.

With hesitant steps, the short-haired woman stepped closer into the shop. "… You sure the right thing to do is keeping all this a secret from him?"

"If I can keep it a secret from him forever, I would," Alice admitted and meant it with every fiber of her being. "I would keep it from _everyone_ if I could... But with everything that's happened here today, I'm going to need help with that."

Pulled back to the present predicaments, Mary Margaret nodded in understanding and willingly dropped the topic. "Who are we going to see then?"

"Who."

The dark-haired woman frowned. "Wasn't that what I asked?"

"No, eh, sorry…" Alice cleared her throat and tried to rephrase herself. "We're meeting Who."

Entirely certain that the information hadn't cleared any of her puzzlement, Mary Margaret knew she needed more to go on. "…Who's _Who_?"

Alice grimaced and evasively replied, "Someone from my past."

The brunette nodded. "Okay… why?"

" Not Why - _Who. _Who can answer questions about my future."

"… And you've lost me!" Mary Margaret said with mock cheer as she amusedly gazed at the blonde woman across the room from her.

Understanding that she would have to be obvious, the other woman explained, "He's a _seer_, Snow."

"Who is?"

"Exactly," Alice smiled and nodded. "You're getting it."

Mary Margaret's frown intensified as she gazed at the woman opposite her. "I'm not sure I am. Just… lead the way to him, Alice."

"To Who?"

The brunette woman shrugged exasperatedly. "… I don't know."

* * *

"We're here."

Mary Margaret stopped by Alice's side and looked up at the building the blonde woman indicated. The building was located in the outskirts of Storybrooke, on the other side of the big lake, and Mary Margaret wasn't even sure it fell under the definition of a 'building'. It seemed more like the brick construction before them had been neither tended to nor lived in for decades.

For one thing, it looked more likely to collapse than be inhabited and Mary Margaret couldn't help but wonder why Regina had allowed for such decay in Storybrooke during and after the curse. Then again, Mary Margaret had begun to wonder if there were some things the Evil Queen did not know about the villagers. She repressed all such dark thoughts about her foe to the back of her mind, where they belonged for the present time, and turned to the woman by her side instead.

"… Are you sure this is it?" the brunette asked.

Alice read the confused look plainly in Mary Margaret's wide, chocolate colored eyes and shrugged in agreement. "Maybe I should have led by the fact that he was always a bit… peculiar. He's not much different in Storybrooke, I'm told."

"Peculiar _how_, Alice?"

The blonde woman grimaced and hesitated how best to reply to that question. "Here in Storybrooke, he goes by the name of Roger, and is some sort of street musician and doomsday prophet all wrapped up in one."

The brunette felt her jaw drop as perplexity momentarily stunned her. At length, she managed to voice her doubts, "The _seer_ we're about to meet? The seer you think will help you find answers? I thought seers in our world were... _not that_."

Alice shrugged and tried to explain the reason why this could be her only choice, "He's predicted my future accurately before. As long as you can deduce his riddles you get a pretty detailed prophecy. And this time, I also need some important answers about a certain part of myself."

"What part?" Mary Margaret asked.

Alice kept her eyes on the door. A moment past, before the woman sighed and stepped towards it. "_My inner beast_."

* * *

_To be continued…_


	17. Truth

_A/N: This chapter offers further insight into Alice's past. Hopefully without it being confusing.  
For simplification, this takes place after S02xE18. Though I doubt it will be referenced, I simply inform you to give you an idea of when this is supposed to take place. _

* * *

**17. Truth**

As she dug for the surface above her, the soil kept tumbling down on her head and she coughed as it filled her mouth and nostrils. After a short struggle, Alice managed to dig her way out of the hole and pulled herself onto the solid ground above.

As she lay gasping for air on the muddy soil by the roots of a tall, twisted oak, the young woman tried to compose her disarrayed mind. So much had happened in such a short amount of time, and now nothing could be what it once had been. All was over. Alice felt the remnants of shock as her body quaked with fear born from the memories of what had just been done.

Slowly, the young woman regained control over her mind and as her heart, too, calmed down, she gazed about herself to take in her new surroundings. She was certain she was no longer in the Enchanted Forest. Whatever magic her sister had cast, the intentions had been clear; Alice was banished for her actions. Though it was a harsh sentence, it was one the young woman could not entirely disagree with.

She forced herself to once more push the dark memories to the back of her mind and refocused on her new world. This forest seemed not too unlike the one she had only minutes before been forcefully torn from. Still, there was something about these new environments that Alice couldn't quite put into words. Somehow it seemed that the trees around her, and in particular the dark oak from which roots she had just dug herself out from, whispered with the wind that blew between them. Lingering on the air was a touch of something she recognized very well; _evil_.

Still, the darkness of these woods seemed more dormant than flowing, as if awaiting the inevitable, murkier days in the still unwritten future.

Alice rose from the earth and glanced behind her at the twisted oak that had spat her out into this new world. As her gaze wandered back down to the hole in the ground, Alice could see something purple sparkle far below. Magic.

With a shaking hand, the young woman reached for the pale blue, ornate headpiece atop her long mass of blonde hair and tore the item off in one fluid motion. With no regret in sight, Alice threw her last possession into the hole and then covered the hole with a few fallen branches. It was better for all if the portal and the magic remained hidden, both from prying eyes and her own.

Her cursed life was finally wrecked and she knew that after what she had done to end up in this realm, there was nothing that could ever draw her back into that pit of despair and malevolence. Her powers were gone, and with them her old life.

Alice released a breath of relief. She felt freer already, as if this banishment could mean turning over a new leaf and getting to shape a life actually worth living. Maybe this was exactly what she needed. To leave everything behind. To start a new life, in which neither darkness nor magic belonged.

As she turned from the tree and walked further into the woods, she glanced back one final time.

What lay beneath the dead branches would stay a secret until the end of time, Alice silently pledged to herself. Not only the portal would remain secret, but she knew that the truth of her past could never be spoken to anyone if peace was to be achieved. Anyway, since that part of her life was over, no one would ever have to know the awful truth in this new world and life of hers.

With a final sigh, Alice continued forward with her head held high.

* * *

A few hours later, the young, blonde woman reached the edge of the dark forest and found with each step that her courage and happiness returned to her. Alice had begun to believe herself that this would turn into a blessing and a life from which she could grow a brighter future for herself.

Drawn from her thoughts, the girl, just barely a woman, stepped out from the woods. She walked onto a path and into a sunny world where every color shone brighter than she'd ever seen before in the Enchanted Forest. The surroundings around her now, made Alice drop her jaw in surprise and she couldn't help but seriously doubt her own eyes.

On both sides of the grand pathway were huge tower-like straws of grass, and here and there grew the odd giant flower or an even larger mushroom. She couldn't help but wonder if perhaps she had shrunk in size, or if perhaps this world was a world of giants.

With a small measure of hesitation in her heart, Alice stepped onto the path as she gazed about at the wonders of the land. After awhile of walking in peace, she was startled by a voice that echoed loudly from somewhere above her head.

"Who… are **you**?"

* * *

Alice raised a hand towards the wooden door before her and quickly rapped on it. She shared a glance with Mary Margaret as the two of them waited for the inhabitant of the house to answer their half-desperate call. Everything was silent for a minute or two, before both women finally heard the sound of footsteps come closer and closer from inside the house.

"Listen, there's something else you have to learn about the seer," Alice suddenly said in a rush. "Who, or _Roger_, was always quite impossible. And… Well, how do I say this… _High_. He smoked a hookah, and it's all a long story but I'm pretty sure it was spiked with wondrous things. Either way, it made his fore-sights even more perplexing."

"He's a _junkie?_" Mary Margaret hissed back only seconds before the door swung open before them. Both women looked up at the confused, half-naked man that suddenly revealed himself to them.

Wearing a pair of loose-fitted pants, no shirt and a purple dressing gown that hung quite askew, the man didn't make a very good first impression. He also wore round spectacles, through which he squinted down at his guests with red-shot, wide eyes that flickered back and forth restlessly. The hair on the top of his head was balding and grey, but Mary Margaret still had a hard time guessing his age. She had a feeling the man looked much older than he actually was, but placed him somewhere in his late fifties.

After a few minutes of inspecting each other, the elder man asked, "Who… are you?"

The blonde woman composed herself as she contained her irritation regarding the often asked question and spoke, "It's me; Alice."

The man leaned forward to inspect her up and down as he questioned her statement, "_Alice_? Are you really? Come closer, let me see. Oh, your face has changed and your body with it. Still, you may be Alice."

"Hmm," the woman grimaced. "What a charming way to remark I look older… I suppose. We're not here for a _chat_, Who-"

"Roger. I prefer Roger in this world."

"-_Roger_. I've brought Mary Margaret with me today to… ask your advice."

The seconds ticked by in which the man simply looked from one woman to the other while clearly contemplating his options. At great length, the man sighed and pushed his door wide open as he muttered, "I'll need more than a joint for this… I'll get the bong and my special weed."

Roger nodded for the two women to follow him and then turned without another word and vanished further into the house.

Alice raised her foot to follow. Mary Margaret swiftly reached out for the woman's arm and stopped her as she whispered into her ear, "Alice, what's your plan here? That man _is _a junkie and even without smoking, I'm guessing he's only going to blabber nonsense in his delirium. How are you possibly going to make sense of that?"

The blonde woman sighed and shrugged her eyebrows in a defeated manner. "We share a joint with him."

Mary Margaret retracted in surprise. "_What?_"

"To comprehend his high and mighty preaching, we should be… well, _high_."

* * *

When Alice turned her head to look up, she once more felt amazement of this place render her speechless in every sense of the word. Upon a giant mushroom, midst the large grass and bright colors, sat an enormous, blue caterpillar with a human face, a pair of glasses and a crimson fez rested atop its large head. In its left hand, the caterpillar held a hookah and tendrils of the smoke swirled around the creature's head as it gazed down at her with interest.

"What are you?" Alice questioned.

"Not what - _Who_," the caterpillar said. "Who are you?"

"Eh, I'm… Alice. I'm not from this world."

"I see," the caterpillar nodded. "… and I hear. And I smell, too. But I do not know."

"Know what?" the young woman asked as she gazed about her for any way to explain this vision before her.

"Who _you _are."

"… I just told you," Alice said dryly.

"You told me an answer, yes, but not to my question. Who _are_ you_?_"

"_I'm Alice._"

_"Who-"_

The young woman erupted in an impatient yell, "Enough!"

With what could only be described as an undignified smirk, the larvae explained himself, "I simply ask because you _were _one Alice, but no longer. Now you're _another_ Alice."

The creature waved one of its feet in the direction of her outfit and Alice glanced down at her dress that once had been beautiful and expensive but now looked more like a singed washcloth. "Oh yeah? Well who are _you_ anyway, larvae?"

"Who am I? I am Who."

"_Who_? Is that even a name?" Alice frowned but the larvae merely smoked his hookah and exhaled slowly. With a content smirk, he watched the tendrils of smoke gently float to the blue skies above. The woman huffed. "Care to expand on that… theory of yours, _Who_?"

"The one Alice stemmed from the abyss, the other stretches up towards the sun but will never reach all the way."

Even though the words were spoken in anything but plaintext, Alice had a feeling this creature knew more about her than he let on. "… You know who I am? _How?_"

"I know much. I also see without being hindered by time."

"… You can see the future?"

"Yes. And I see yours right now. If you leave Wonderland, you will lose everything."

The young woman snorted in amusement. "Maybe you don't know me that well then. It's because I _lost_ everything, that I'm here. I have nothing else to lose."

"One day you will," Who disagreed as he watched the tendrils playfully swirl around his head. "When you have that which you desire not to lose, you will lose it because of your desires. Only in another world and time will there be room for _transformation_. Of what kind, neither my eyes nor my hookah will say."

"A little clarity wouldn't be wrong here, you know."

"Why should I be clear to one who's left herself behind and therefore has no clarity herself?" the larvae asked with a pointed look as he reclined on his mushroom.

Alice faltered at his question and stuttered a feeble reply, "I-I… W-well, maybe you're right. But maybe that's exactly why I need clarity."

"When future is past, all I've said will be clear enough," the larvae assured but then something shifted in his eyes and his tone grew serious and dark as he leaned closer towards the girl on the ground. "But heed this warning, Alice; While reaching for the sun, you could end up burning others. And should that be your fate, the abyss will welcome you back into its bottomless depths. Remember, too, that no light can reach those shadows."

Unsure if she actually had read his peculiar words correctly, Alice slowly stepped back. She'd heard enough of this creature already, and she was now certain she had no desire to hear anymore. "Thanks for the… Well. I need to get going. Goodbye, Who."

As the young woman turned to stalk off, the larvae casually called for her, "…Alice?"

"_Yes_?" the blonde girl stopped and kept her back to the larvae as she impatiently waited for the first opportunity to escape.

"What once was, _will_ be again. It is inevitable."

Confusion filled her mind and Alice slowly glanced behind as a trickle of fear ran through her heart. "What does that even mean?"

"Who… knows?"

"Wait," the young woman said and pondered his words without reaching an obvious conclusion. "Was that a question or a statement?"

The giant, blue larvae smirked down at her with a pleased face as he once again inhaled from his hookah. As he exhaled deeply and was covered by the thick smoke, his voice was the only clear thing ahead of Alice. The shady, rumbling voice spoke two jesting words, "Who knows."

The young woman sighed and turned her back to the mushroom and confusing larvae. "I think I'm not going to like this place."

* * *

Alice crossed her arms over her chest and slowly exhaled. Her gaze was firm ahead at the two people in the small, sterile room before her. The day so far was going as expected, which in turn meant nothing good for the woman. Then again, not everything had gone according to plan…

As if on cue, the woman heard hurried feet move towards her and she turned just in time as David and Jefferson reached her side.

"What happened to my wife?!" the prince demanded as worry shone in his wide, pale eyes that sought out Mary Margaret in the infirmary room ahead of them. Dr Whale, who had obviously heard the commotion, merely glanced up and nodded reassuringly to the prince before he turned his full attention to the delirious woman on the bed beside him.

Jefferson moved to stand between the mad husband and Alice. "Hey, don't use that tone to _my wife_, Charming!"

With a sigh, the blonde woman gently placed a hand on her husband's shoulder and tugged on his jacket. She tugged on him to step aside and let the tension fade away, before it could take hold over all three of them. "It's okay, Jefferson… I suppose I deserve it."

The man gazed down at his wife as he stepped aside. "What happened, Alice?"

"It's… not easy to explain."

David inhaled deeply, and with an attempted effort to contain his worry, he faced the blonde woman. "That's fine. I just need to hear the short version to explain why my wife is _high as a kite_!"

Alice glanced behind her at Mary Margaret, who'd slumped over on the bed, seemingly asleep. The short-haired woman had never been in any actual harm. Still for her own good, Alice had chosen to take the woman to the hospital when she'd realized just how high the teacher had become. As Alice turned back around to face the two men, she decided to be straight forward. Perhaps it was time for honesty, after all. "Very well. Ehm… your wife thought I was serious when I said we'd share a joint with a larvae."

Jefferson and David shared a look. With a hesitant sigh, the latter turned back to the blonde woman and exasperatedly said, "… On second thought, give me the long version."

* * *

_An Hour Earlier_

Certain that Mary Margaret was starting to lose herself in the wonders of her first joint, Alice decided the coast was clear for her to face her difficult task at hand. Though she was grateful for the support the other woman offered, Alice still felt it was best to not include her in what was bound to follow. The blonde woman sat down on a wooden chair opposite a low, broken sofa and glared down at Roger. The man sat reclined on the dirty couch and simply smoked his bong in slow, calm puffs as he, in turn, gazed up at her expectantly.

"You know why I'm here," Alice said shortly. "Let's not pretend otherwise."

The man nodded and intelligence sparkled despite the drugs influence on his system. "You lost what you desired, and now have it back."

"Yes, and so far no one's gotten hurt," the blonde woman said and felt the true reason for her visit rested on the tip of her tongue, but she swallowed it back for now.

Roger shook his head. "Your happiness might still be dependent on many people's suffering."

With a painful sigh, Alice leaned back in the chair and ran a hand across her weary face. She'd been so hopeful he'd give her another reply this time, but his words echoed ominously in her head. "How about some clarity this time?"

"I'll do better," the worn, old man said as he inhaled from his bong with an amused twinkle to his pale eyes. "This depends not on my clarity, but _yours_. To find that, you might start with the vital question everyone is asking. Your heart was the color of twilight for a long time… Can such shades ever fade?"

The young woman sighed as old fears swirled in her mind. "I hope so… I need to know what I must do now."

"Much has been asked of you, and from more than one direction can you affect the outcome of the upcoming struggles. But simply by coming here your faith was decided. It won't matter what path you chose when you step out of this building, for you're already walking down it. Stray but a little from that path, Alice…"

"… And what?"

"You'll fall from the edge," the elder man breathed darkly.

With a half-desperate attempt, Alice managed a sad smile and a shrug, "I know how to fly…"

"Not like this, you don't," the elder man disagreed and the intensity in his eyes told Alice he knew more than he let on. "None of us knows. If you fall you can only go down… And you'll take everyone down with you."

"I won't fall."

"Maybe you will… maybe you won't. Either way, are the risks worth taking when you don't know the limitations to your own inner monster?"

"Just… _please_. I need clarity, this time," Alice practically begged.

"I thought I was clear. Other-Alice I last met is dead. She's been dead a long time, hasn't she? Or perhaps, she simply never left Wonderland? Whomever this Alice is, she's someone else… Someone to fear or love. Cower from or embrace. She could save worlds… or destroy them."

"What would you advice me to do?"

Roger sighed and shrugged. "While the choice is yours, the making of it is not. Many are concerned and you cannot do this alone. The truth, is my suggestion. After all, you know the prize for dishonesty."

"I also know the prize for honesty," the woman said and tears glistened in her wide eyes but she blinked them back. At last, she sighed and asked the burning question, "… I'm scared. What if I do this, do exactly what they want to help defeat Regina once and for all… and lose myself to my inner beast in the process? What do I do then?"

With an understanding, yet gloating, smirk, Roger reclined against the couch, inhaled deeply from his bong and as the smoke swirled out of his nostrils, he spoke, "When future is past, all I've said will be clear enough..."

* * *

Before Alice could explain the events of her afternoon, her husband gazed down at her with an understanding, half-pained look. He glanced briefly at the woman in the infirmary room before addressing the woman beside him. "Alice, _honey… _when you say larvae, do you mean _Who_?"

"Yes."

David frowned. "I'm sorry, who are we talking about?"

"I think we're talking about Who," Jefferson offered as his confused frown spread across his features. It pained him that he once more could simply read the pain in his wife's eyes, but not the cause of it.

The prince moved from one puzzlement to another as he gazed from Jefferson to Alice. "…I'm missing something here, aren't I?"

Alice sighed and began to explain, "The larvae's name back in Wonderland was 'Who'. Here he's a street musician who calls himself Roger and spends most of his time high on different substances. In Wonderland he was... well, smoking his hookah all the time, too. Still, he was a respected seer. An _annoying_, respected seer."

Mary Margaret's husband nodded. "See, now… that makes more sense. You should have lead with that."

"Next time."

With an amused grimace, David remarked, "Oh, there will be no next time. I assure you. I just... I can't understand why she'd smoke a joint."

"I think you can," Alice offered.

"… Yeah. You're right. I can," David admitted and the dark truth was written across his features and the weight of it plainly burdened his shoulders.

"She'll be fine," the blonde woman said. "Doing dark deeds... The guilt can make one act irregular in an attempt to repent for said deeds. I should have seen it coming when I allowed her to accompany me to a drug addict. She'll be fine, though."

"So… why did you need to seek out a joint-smoking seer/larvae?" the prince asked as he tried to wrap his mind about the mysterious woman before him. He was starting to wonder if his first impression of her might have been too kind and understandable. Alice certainly seemed more curious than David had ever expected. By his side, Jefferson waited patiently for the explanation he knew could help him get some much needed information.

"I needed his help. I needed answers," the blonde woman explained.

"And did you get them?" Jefferson asked.

"In a way, yes," Alice nodded cryptically. "That's to say, if I understood his message through the thick haze created from the joints your wife was smoking. Listen… David, could you call Emma and have her meet us at Gold's pawn shop?"

"For what?" Jefferson asked as he subconsciously reached a worried hand out towards his wife, as if afraid she would fade away if he did not physically touch her. He wasn't entirely certain where his fears came from, but he read them clearly in his wife's eyes. Her fears had infected his heart already, and even Jefferson felt concerned for his happy, little family and its future.

With a dark, frightened look, Alice clutched his hand tight in her own as comprehension of his fears flashed in her gaze, "It's time."

* * *

Gold raised his eyes as the bell over the entrance to his shop chimed merrily. With a confused frown, he discarded his pen and the work he'd been doing in order to greet his late, unexpected customers. Though he was accustomed to the unaccustomed, even this took the elder man somewhat off-guard.

"What's all this…?" the elder man asked as Alice stepped inside his shop, closely followed by Jefferson and David.

"We just need to wait for Emma," was the cryptic response the blonde woman offered as she crossed the room and leaned against the wall far from the others.

Stopping in the middle of the shop, Jefferson felt his resentment to Gold rise to the surface once more. After everything he had learned about the past, and all that the Dark One had done, there was no reason Jefferson could find for Alice to willingly involve him in anything private and personal of theirs.

"What the hell is going on here?" the former hatter snarled as he glared down the elder man at the opposite end of the shop, like a lion before it pounces it prey. The prey in question, however, knew there was no actual danger and so merely leaned against his cane with no fears in the world as he gazed the furious man straight in the eyes.

"I don't know," Gold said frostily.

With little restraint, Jefferson shrugged his coat and scarf closer to his body, as if such an attempt could also keep his emotions under tighter reins. Slowly, he whirled around and gazed across the distance at his wife, who it turn was watching him with the most unreadable pain. "Alice, why are we here? Why did you take us here? To _him?_"

Before she could respond, the door to the pawn shop opened once more and Henry entered closely followed by Emma.

"What's all this about?" the sheriff asked as she moved to stand by David's side but the man could simply shrug in response as he placed an arm around the boy's shoulders.

"Oh, I see it now…" Gold breathed and the others noticed how a sparkle of something mischievous ignited in his dark eyes as he slowly turned his head in Alice's direction. "It's time then."

The blonde woman anxiously wet her lips and nodded. "Someone suggested I be honest, so… yes. It's time."

"Time for _what_?" Jefferson spoke each word slowly, aware that it was the only way to contain the anger that bubbled only inches beneath the surface. His confused anger was not calmed by the fact that Gold obviously knew more about Alice than Jefferson himself.

With a deep breath that alone revealed the difficulty with which Alice struggled, the blonde woman raised her frightened eyes and gazed into her husband's. "In order for me to do right, you might have to learn the truth of who I am... Or rather, who I _was_ in the Enchanted Forest. Before you, before Wonderland. And I ask you, - you _all -_ not to judge me before I've told you everything."

* * *

_To be continued..._


	18. Once Upon A Time

_A/N: I present to you, Alice's background and dark secrets. _

* * *

**18. Once Upon A Time**

Jefferson frowned at his wife who remained at the other end of the pawn shop and tried to wrap his head around the scene in front of him. Judging from the looks on the others faces, this meeting wasn't entirely as big of a surprise to them as it was to him. For some reason Jefferson felt like this was all a great joke and he was the only one not taking part in it.

The former hatter had this gut-wrenching feeling that after tonight, nothing could remain the same. He felt as if someone was waiting to rip the rug from underneath his feet and watch his inevitable fall. The fear he felt in regard to this almost outshone his desire to learn the truth and help his wife in any way he could. At least, he hoped, this would mean that Alice finally would include him and let him into the most protected circle of her private heart.

"… What's your story?" he managed at length and was surprised to hear that his voice remained calm.

"Just… give me a minute," Alice's voice broke somewhat and fear flashed in her pale, bottomless pools as she crossed the distance to stand beside him. Her hand found his and grasped it so tight, Jefferson wondered if she was attempting to keep him from running. For what reason, he had no idea, but the trepidation in her eyes he knew was reflected in his own heart.

She exhaled a quivering breath and said in a frail voice, "There is so much you don't know. So much I still wish I could keep from you. But this world won't let me keep my secrets any longer…"

As she hesitated once more, Jefferson breathed, " … And I was beginning to think I was reading too much into it."

"Into what?"

"Everyone's sudden interest in you. Especially Gold and Regina…" the man glanced back at the pawn shop owner briefly. "I knew _this_ was all too easy to last… Just… tell me nothing will change."

"I _really _wish I could…" Alice whispered and the sincerity shone in her eyes alongside her plain hesitation.

"Then I'll promise it for you," Jefferson spoke stubbornly and squeezed her hand in his. "Whatever you did… It's the _past_. It doesn't define who you are today, but it helps explain how you evolved into this beautiful, exquisite creature. That won't change with the truth."

"… Don't make promises you can't keep," his wife breathed.

"Not to disturb your little moment," Gold drawled from the sideline, "but could we get to the story itself?"

"I'm _trying_, Rumpelstiltskin," Alice hissed and inhaled as if attempting to fill her lungs with fresh, new air that would help her complete the task at hand. It seemed to do little to help, however. "The truth is, I've spent a lifetime trying to forget that part of my life... I don't know where to begin..."

"Perhaps I can help provide you with a… _start_," Gold offered with a bemused voice and everyone turned to him in expectancy as his smirk widened upon his thin lips. As he leaned back against a counter, he continued in a silky voice, "Once upon a time there lived a powerful sorcerer in a remote kingdom of the Enchanted Forest. The sorcerer was known as _Thyrus Pendragon_, older brother of Uther Pendragon."

David frowned and faced the elder man with his confusion. "Wait... I knew Uther and his son Arthur once, but I never knew Uther had a _brother_."

"The Pendragon's have always hid many secrets from the world... and a lot of strife among themselves which necessitates such secrets," the elder man assured cryptically. "But that's another story, I'm afraid."

"... Thank you, Gold. I'll take it from here," Alice said distantly and raised her chin. She wanted to at least pretend to be in charge of the moment, but certain she wasn't very convincing. "Thyrus was... a very wealthy man with a powerful title to match his status among the nobility of the kingdom. He was also vicious and had gained a lot of power and wealth by using evil magic on others. He lived in a castle... with his two daughters."

"No…" Jefferson shook his head in surprise. He still vividly remembered the time so long ago when his wife had told him she was an only child. Such a simple question, Jefferson realized, had suddenly grown into an immense lie. Not even to mention the insinuation that his wife came from a family of darkest magic. At once, the former hatter realized that he'd greatly underestimated the extent of her lies and the story had barely begun.

"It's true… I have a sister. And that's only the beginning of my lies."

"_Had _a sister," Gold pointed out from the sideline and his eyes sparkled once more with something dark and unreadable. "But that, too, is another story entirely. Please, go on."

"Eh..." Alice floundered for a second in search of the words she needed to start her story. "My father raised my sister and myself in the practice of the darkest of magic. He was horrible... but when I was a young girl, I idolized him. I thought he was teaching us the right path in life. Along with my sister... I did unspeakable things to innocent people."

As the others processed this information, Henry tried to recall if he'd ever read Alice's story in his book of fairy tales. Uncertain, he asked, "... Who was your sister?"

Alice faced the boy with a grim smile on her full lips. "Her name was Mali. She was five years older than me, very beautiful and quite well acquainted with dark magic already when we were children. I believe you've met her, Charming."

David shrugged and shook his head as he exchanged a glance with the young boy by his side. "Can't say I have."

The blonde woman hesitated and the words seemed almost painful to her as she clarified, "You knew her by another name, I believe. We'll get to that. As Gold said, '_Once upon a time'_-"

* * *

Once upon a time, a fifteen year old Alice Pendragon stood in the grand hall of her home and looked out through one of the tall, decorated windows of the castle. Very far below she saw the waters of the beautiful, wide lake that basically surrounded the magnificent castle and beyond the lake she saw the vast, deep colors of the immense forest. Further off still on the horizon, Alice saw the contours of the closest village.

A deep sigh escaped past the young girl's lips as she rested her chin on the palm of her hand and raised her gaze to the clouds up above.

"You seem dreary, Alice... What's wrong?"

Alice turned and a smile erupted on her young features as her elder sister walked through the corridor towards the windows. Her sister Mali was a young woman already, and even though she traveled often to court, she always had time to spend with her younger sister, which greatly pleased the latter.

The elder sister wore a long, purple dress and her long, blonde hair hung free and curled around her beautiful, thin frame. Around her neck hung a beautiful, decorative choker with a stone pendant in its center. As she watched it, Alice was sure something swirled to and fro in the depth of the murky stone. Whatever it was, Alice didn't fully comprehend the purpose of it, but was wise enough not to question either.

"I'm _bored_," the younger girl confessed and turned her gaze to the view beyond the castle walls once more.

The elder sister smirked in understanding as she, too, looked through the windows and fixed her gaze on the village in the distance. With swift movements, Mali put her arm around Alice's shoulder and pulled her close into a sisterly embrace that had the younger girl giggling. "Would you like to go out and have some fun then, dearest sister?"

The youngest gazed up at her sister with a knowing look as her smile fell away. "What are you suggesting, sis?"

"We haven't been to the village in awhile, have we?" Mali asked in a dry, humored voice. "Is it not time for them to be reminded of our supreme power over them?"

Alice frowned up at her sister. "Father would not like it if we had fun without him. You know how he loves raiding villages."

Mali sighed exaggeratedly as a smile played at the corner of her lips and she held her sister closer still. "Very well. Then we'll stay inside and remain _bored _all day long if that's what you prefer."

"... On second thought," Alice said thoughtfully after a minute of silence. "I wouldn't mind stretching my wings."

* * *

The blood pumped wildly through her veins as she soared in the air far above the small village below.

Alice had a hard time containing her laughter and amusement as she heard the villagers frightened screams down on the ground. Of all the games she loved most, this was by far Alice's favorite. She never felt more alive than when she and her sister turned into their dragon forms and soared together through the endless skies.

And to think the people were afraid of her, a fourteen year old girl, as soon as she growled and breathed a little fire. Silly humans. She truly pitied them for not possessing any magic as herself, then again she didn't want their petty minds involved in matters above their status and comprehension. Perhaps some matters were best left in their status quo, where order could easily be maintained, as her father used to say.

Alice watched as her sister, a darker skinned dragon of nearly twice her size already, swooped down and with her fiery breath set a barn ablaze.

Not wanting to be bested, the younger sister soon followed and in turn used her warm breath to set fire to another house closer to the woods. In the act, she caught some of the trees with the wild, hot inferno and she watched in fascination as the flames spread through the foliage, leaving the leaves blackened and crackled.

* * *

As she landed on the forest floor, Alice turned herself back into a young girl and smoothed the creases in her beautiful, dark green dress. She could feel the strong smell of ashes and fire lingering on the otherwise fresh air as she turned to watch the smoke rise towards the heavens above. The screams had mostly ended, so in Alice's mind the fun was just about over, too.

She had made sure to land out of sight from the village, just like her father had taught her. Even from where she stood, she could see some trees which had been badly burned by her powerful breath.

Mali still soared far above between the clouds, and Alice watched her with unmasked fascination. She hoped to one day be as powerful and wise as her elder sister, if only to be able to match her splendor.

A weak sound on her right suddenly drew Alice's attention and the young girl hesitated as she turned her head towards the source of the sound. The noise had reminded her of a frail whimper and suddenly she heard the same sound again between the trees.

Whatever it was, it came from the burnt part of the forest closer to the village. The youngest Pendragon girl stood indecisive another second before her curiosity won and she rushed off in the direction of the sound.

She hurried past tree after tree until she suddenly saw something pale among the burnt debris of fallen trees, which still here and there were ablaze with bright, magnificent flames. Alice crept closer to the curious scene and her eyes widened at what she saw.

There, upon the forest floor lay a man. He was dressed in the clothes of a commoner, but his back had almost turned black from a severe burn wound. As he lay still and not seeming to breathe, Alice came to the conclusion he was dead. Close beside the man, beneath one of the fallen trees, lay a young girl about the same age as the Pendragon girl, but with long, dark locks that seemed to blend with the soot around her on the forest floor. The strange girl's pale pace was almost untouched by the fires and her scared eyes gazed up at Alice as she approached from the side.

"Who are you?" the Pendragon girl asked as she stopped and let her gaze travel from the man to the girl beneath the tree trunk. Now that she'd come closer, she could see that the girl was pinned to the ground by the fallen tree as it lay across her chest and abdomen. From this angle, the whole think looked dreadfully painful.

"I..." the girl breathed and each breath came quick and uneven as pained tears ran down her face and past the soot that lingered upon her features. "...I'm Ellah."

"I''m Alice. But my father calls me Atrocious. It doesn't sound very nice, but I suppose I kind of like it. My sister has a nickname, too,... but that's not relevant," the Pendragon girl rambled and curiously peered closer. "Who's the man?"

"My fa-ather. When t-the tree fell on me, he... co-covered me from the f-fires," Ellah managed weakly. "H-he's de-dead... isn't... he? Ki-killed by... by the b-bea-... the beas-..."

"_The beasts?_" Alice whispered and felt as if someone had drawn aside the veil which covered her eyes. As she came to grasp the situation she was momentarily stunned and didn't quite like the feelings it invoked within her. If this was _her_ doing... then she was to blame.

"Are... they gone?"

Alice shook her head and quietly whispered, "No... they're still here."

"So-someone... must..." Ellah swallowed and it was several long seconds before she managed to continue, "...s-stop t-them."

The blonde Pendragon girl shook her head and knelt on the forest floor. "Let me help you out from beneath that tree."

The commoner's daughter shook her head as more tears spilled from her eyes and her voice grew slurry with exhaustion. "Y-you can't... T-too late. P-please... Don't l-leave..."

Taken aback by the girl's frail plead, Alice shuffled closer and grasped her small hand in her own. Never before had she seen nor felt anything so frail. She had no idea how to help, and with each second she felt her own guilt eat away at her heart. "I won't. I promise."

"W-we ha-ave so little... and still t-hey... they c-come," the wounded girl rasped. "The dragons... are e-evil, a-are they n-not?"

The Pendragon girl shrugged and felt herself at a loss for words. "I... don't know."

"My dad told me... that... fire d-destroys... life. N-nothing can... grow.. where f-fire's... been..." Ellah opened her mouth as if to speak more, but never closed it again. Alice watched as the breath of life left the girl's body. Stunned, Alice fell back and crawled away from the two dead bodies as panic entered her system.

In horror, she watched the scene before her as silence descended between the burnt trees around her. She'd never come this close to the destruction created by herself, her sister or her father. She had believed... At the moment, Alice wasn't entirely certain what she had believed. All she knew was that this didn't feel right, only wrong. As Ellah had said, this was the taste of _evil_.

Ellah had just been a young girl, and her father must have been a nice man who'd covered his daughter from the fires only to burn in her stead. They were _innocents_. Unsure what to think or how to feel, Alice scrambled to her feet and ran away.

* * *

For the following week, Alice felt the thoughts change in her mind as her heart whispered desires of new things she wanted to know. She hadn't told her father or sister about the events in the forest, but that day haunted her nonetheless.

At first it had simply been shock, but after the first few days, Alice realized that something had changed within her. She no longer thrived from practicing her magic or hurting others. All the sudden, she could only see the person on the other side, receiving an unjust penalty. She couldn't bear the thought that she was the cause for anyone's pain.

One day Alice was walking through the woods not too far from the castle. By her side walked her father and the two of them walked on in silence as the blonde girl was barely aware of the conspicuous looks her father threw in her direction.

At last, Thyrus held out a hand to stop his daughter and Alice looked up at him with distant confusion in them.

"What's wrong, dear _Atrocious_?" Thyrus asked his youngest child and playfully tugged on the blue, horned headpiece she wore. "Why didn't you run off with Mali to have fun with the pack of _rascals_ she found?"

"Papa..." the girl began and frowned. "Must we always hurt others?"

The smile on Thyrus' face vanished at once and the man stood tall and stiff as he inspected his daughter. The young girl took the opportunity to read him in turn in hope of discovering some evidence to the truth of their family position.

Thyrus Pendragon was a tall and quite handsome man with a strong posture that demanded both attention and obedience from others. She knew he was quite important to the king, though she had heard whispers that this was only so because Thyrus had scared the other nobles into accepting his presence at court. As she gazed into his cold, grey eyes now, Alice knew these rumors were true. There was something dark about her father, that even frightened her.

"What's this about, Alice?" her father asked in a commanding voice. "We do not _hurt_ others. We do what we must to make sure others remain our subordinates and remain in their place. You know this."

"... Is there truly a difference, father?" Alice asked in hesitation and knew she was walking a fine line by even approaching the subject.

"Of course there is. Even if it wasn't, it is what we do."

"Couldn't we change?"

Silence descended in the small clearing in which they found themselves and even the wind seemed to take caution as it blew between the trees. Thyrus squinted his eyes and Alice noticed how his jaw clenched, as it always did when forced to face unwanted things.

"We are the Pendragons. We are a strong family, and descend from a line of a mighty ancestors consisting of dark sorcerers and dragons," the man spoke in a dark, proud voice. "We shall speak no further of this, Alice."

"Why not?" the young girl asked and sighed exasperatedly.

"Because you and your sister will follow in my footsteps."

Alice shook her head. "It's not that simple anymore, father. I... I saw a young girl die last week because of what I had done. And her father lay already dead beside her, having sacrificed himself to save her. All in vain. I realized... that it felt _wrong_. I don't want to hurt others. I don't want to hurt _innocents_."

"There are no innocents in this world, Atrocious. You do well to remember that," Thyrus hissed as he turned his back to his daughter and crossed his arms over his chest as if to signal the end of a bad conversation. "Let us drop this subject now and speak no more of it. Your sister will join us shortly, I'm sure she will have grown tired of _hurting_ those _innocents_."

"... You think me frail then, father?" the young girl whispered. "Simply because I do not wish to do evil anymore? Should not one be able to choose one's own destiny and aim in life? I want to _change_, father. Make amends for my evil past. Please understand."

"No..." her father breathed and slowly turned back around to face his youngest child with a dangerous darkness ablaze in his vivid eyes. "You desire to turn your back on this family? To do _good?_ I always knew you took after your mother. Too much, methinks. Did I ever tell you children of your mother's _betrayal_ of this family?"

Alice frowned up at her father as she felt her heart beat louder and louder, stronger and stronger, as a bad feeling crept up her spine. "... Papa?"

"Not long after you were born, Alice, she came to me and said you and your sister were the lights of her life. With two healthy girls in the family, her maternal instincts had suddenly changed her. She, too, asked me to change and be _good_," Thyrus spat the last word as if it alone was filthy to him. "She called the Pendragons unspeakable things, and I could not stand such a betrayal."

The young girl felt her lips quiver with fear as she breathed, "_What betrayal?_ She merely wanted us to help the world instead of destroying it._"_

"I should have known you shared her weakness. Will you, too, betray us then?" her father's eyes shone with loathing as he gazed at his daughter on the other end of the clearing. "I will have no weak links in my family. I'm afraid I must do to you what I did to your mother..._ Alice_."

The girl's pale eyes widened in fear and for a second she felt incapable of breathing. Her thoughts swirled round and round in her head as she grasped at the edges of reality. So long had she lived a lie, believing her mother had died of a simple disease all those years ago. Alice was unsure what was worse at the moment, to have the truth painfully revealed to her, or the underlying threat her father aimed at her.

Without warning, Thyrus suddenly raised his hands and threw an orb of fire towards his daughter. Alice tried to duck out of the way, but was hit in the shoulder and fell to the ground with a whimper. Terror beat through her heart like the drums of war as she stood up and faced her father once more.

"_Please_..." she whispered but even as the word passed her lips, she knew it was futile.

When her father raised his hand once more, she saw nothing but coldness directed at her in his grey eyes. She knew the look well. It was one he deserved only for those about to be executed. Still, Alice had the upper hand which others usually did not. She knew her father's methods and mischievous tricks and so as he threw the second orb towards her, Alice used it to create a smoke diversion and leaped across the clearing to land silently behind her father.

As Thyrus turned around, Alice trust out her hands in desperation and despair and watched as her stunned father was thrown back with full force. A part of her reveled at the notion of seeing how strong her powers were now that she wished to defend both herself and avenge her mother. She'd never felt so powerful ever before.

Her momentary rush of adrenaline faltered swiftly, however, as her father landed head-first on the ground and remained down. With heavy breathing, Alice hesitantly walked towards the still man when suddenly a pained cry erupted from the space behind her.

She turned around in surprise as Mali came rushing through the forest towards them and pushed her younger sister out of the way as she knelt by their father's side. Mali's trembling hands reached out for Thyrus' head and as she withdrew them, Alice saw a red color taint her sister's hands the dark tone of death.

In disbelief, Alice noticed the stone beneath her father's head dyed with blood, and all the sudden felt wooziness consume her entirely. _What had she done?_ She staggered backwards and managed to lean heavily against the trunk of a nearby tree. She sunk onto her knees and emptied the contents of her stomach on the nearby roots before she slumped back once more.

"What... have you done?" Mali asked with a dark, quivering voice that was colder than Alice had ever heard. Gone was all the love she had felt for her younger sister, and in its place hate seemed to have found its way into her heart.

"Please, Mali. It's not what you think. I... He came after me. I _had to_ protect myself..." the younger girl pleaded, but felt no strength to defend herself.

The elder sister shook her head and a tear slid down her pale cheek as she placed her hand on her father's chest. For a few seconds, Alice could but watch the heart wrenching scene before her own mind closed in to the darkness of her deeds. She'd wanted to change, to do _good_ in a world of monstrosities... How could she ever change now? It was _her _magic which had performed this unspeakable evil, and there was no reversing time.

Alice closed her eyes tight and was just about to be consumed by her own grief when she suddenly heard her sister's voice chant a low incantation. With curiosity and trepidation, she opened her eyes and saw that Mali held one hand to the pendant around her neck and in the other she held their father's naked heart, dripping with blood over his carcass The scene was so horrible, and yet Alice could not turn her eyes from it. As Mali completed the chant, a purple fog left the heart and was sucked into the stone pendant.

"... What was that, Mali?" the youngest Pendragon asked with a broken voice as she rose from the ground.

"Had I not performed the rite, his magic would have been lost. Now it is safe with me, having strengthened my own powers. I know it is what he would have wanted," her elder sister growled and, too, stood to face her sister. "As I am sure he would have wanted me to do this."

Mali raised her hand and Alice suddenly felt it was hard to breathe, as if an unseen hand grasped her throat and squeezed it tight. As she gasped for air, her elder sister strolled over towards her. When she was close, Alice noticed that the same coldness which she had seen in her father's eyes, now shone in her sister's.

"I am sorry..." the youngest sister managed to whisper as the lack of oxygen made her vision blur and her mind unfocused.

"There are no excuses in the world that will _ever_ make me forgive you for this, Alice. You have slain our dearest papa..." the tears had all dried on her cheeks now. With hate evident in every fiber of her being, the eldest Pendragon placed her hand over her sister's heart. Alice felt the heat of her palm even through the fabric of her thick dress.

"Do it..." Alice breathed as she boldly met her sister's gaze. "I deserve it."

With a crooked grin that spoke not only of simple vengeance but also of a desire for power, Mali began to chant the ancient hymn once more. Alice cried out in shock as she felt a part of herself slowly extract itself from her heart and leave something of a void. She gazed down in wonder as a purple tendril of smoke left her own body only to be sucked into the pendant which still hung on her sister's choker. The dark stone glistened once as Alice watched the tendrils dance within its dark centre.

Carelessly, the elder sister released Alice from her magic and drew a strengthening breath as she staggered back a few steps.

"Careful, sis..." the younger sister breathed and caressed her sore throat as she pulled herself to a standing position once more. As she watched her sister's eyes turn darker with the power of three, she pushed herself against the trunk of the tree. "Someone recently told me that fire only destroys life. Nothing can grow where fire's been, Mali. Be careful or you'll end up all alone one day."

"It's not 'Mali' anymore, sister," the tall young woman snarled viciously as she stepped back and a dark smirk spread across her features. "In honor of father, I shall adopt his precious nickname for me. From this day, I shall only be known as _Maleficent_."

Without further ado, the eldest sister raised her hands and as she released the full force of her powers on her sister, Alice was thrown back by the energy surge. Too late, she realized the tree behind her had vanished.

The world, as she knew it, seemed to have disappeared around her only to be replaced by a purple fog which seemed to take her away from the Enchanted Forest. In that second, Alice could simply hope it meant forever.

* * *

_To be continued._

_Thoughts? Leave a review if you care to voice your opinions about all the twists in this chapter!_  
_From the start of this story, I simply knew who Alice's sister would turn out to be. The other details and twists sort of came about by themselves._  
_Personally, I hope you liked them as much as I enjoyed writing them._


	19. Blackmail

**19. Blackmail**

"- And when I managed to crawl out of a rabbit's hole, into which my sister had created a portal with her new strength, I found myself in Wonderland, as you know. I suppose it finally goes without saying why I never wanted anyone to learn the truth of my past..." Alice trailed off and glanced at the others in the small shop.

Halfway through her story, Jefferson's hand had slipped from hers and the man had quietly stepped aside. At the moment he stood with his back towards the others while leaning one hand against the wall at the back of the pawn shop. Alice watched him with pain in her heart, but the feeling of hurt was directed inwards and not in any way towards her husband. She'd just delivered a heavy blow to their relationship and could understand his need for distance.

As she turned her eyes to the others, Gold was the first to meet her gaze. The elder man merely nodded mutely, as if to assure her she'd made the right decision to come clean. She had a feeling the man figured this was a step further in his preferred direction than Alice cared to agree.

Her attention was drawn to the young boy who bravely stepped forward to confront her. Henry frowned up at the blonde woman with confusion shining in his pale eyes. "_Alice in Wonderland _is the sister of_ Maleficent, the evil witch? _I don't remember reading that part in the book."

Alice shrugged. "It goes without saying that not every tale of the Enchanted Forest could have been included in that book of yours. Doesn't it?"

"I've never heard that version either," Emma breathed by her son's side as she watched the woman with a mix of fascination and dread. "So you're a witch _and _a dragon? I never would have guessed you were... _that_."

"How old were you when...?" David asked as his voice trailed off.

"Fifteen," Alice smiled grimly. "I was fifteen when I killed my father and my sister banished me to another realm. It wasn't until later that I saw the irony in what I had to do to leave _''Atrocious'_ in the past..."

"Yes, some names are self-fulfilling prophecies," Gold smirked. "Tell him about Storybrooke."

Alice glanced at the others once more. Her gaze lingered on her husband's stiff back as she continued, "The reason why I'm even telling you all this now... is because my powers are back. At least in part, I have magic once more..."

Emma frowned. "But you're _Alice in Wonderland_."

"That's the point," the other blonde insisted as her pale eyes pleaded with the others to understand. "_I_ _changed_. When I entered Wonderland that first time, stripped of all powers and with no desire to return home, I realized I could use it to get a clean slate and start the life I wanted to lead. I decided to leave my past in the past and I've _never_ looked back since. For years, I helped rule Wonderland in an age of peace... but nothing lasts forever."

"Cora arrived," Gold offered.

"_Exactly_," Alice nodded in agreement. "And she brought with her a reign of terror none of us could defeat. We fought nobly for a long time, but in the end we were deceived by a Cheshire cat and I was locked away. I managed to escape but was forced to live on the run. A while later, Jefferson arrived and the rest... is history."

"Oh..." Jefferson spoke up from the sidelines as he finally turned around to face his wife. Silence descended over the shop as all eyes turned to him expectantly and the man could basically feel his wife's fear as it radiated from her body. He managed to meekly shake his head as he breathed, "The rest isn't exactly history... is it?"

In his eyes she saw despair and fear shine at her and she could already see a rift take shape between them. Though his voice was frail, his words vibrated strong and accusing between the walls of the small shop. Alice didn't dare look away from his imploring gaze as she whispered, "... I wanted it to be."

As he noticed the appeal in her open, tear-filled gaze, her husband exhaled slowly. "I was afraid I didn't want to learn about your past, Alice. I just... always hoped that fear was exaggerated. I'm supposed to _know _you. You're my wife... and I had no idea of any of this."

"Jefferson..."

The man raised both hands and the woman immediately paused. Unsure how to continue, Jefferson lowered his gaze. "I... need to think. I'm not saying..." he sighed and it was obvious he struggled with his own thoughts. "I just need to think for awhile, that's all."

Without another word, Alice's husband jumped into action and with a few long, fast strides he was at the door and swiftly disappeared outside. As the sound of the bell's chime faded into the shadows of the shop, the others exchanged weary looks.

"So..." David managed at last and cleared his throat in a desperate attempt to diffuse the tension. "What happens now?"

"I've already made it clear to both Emma and Alice here," Gold said as he rose to the occasion and stepped forward to stand in the centre of the room. "I might as well explain it to you, as well. I believe we can defeat Regina with the help of Alice's magic. At the moment, it's the only thing as powerful as Regina. Well, and myself."

Alice shook her head. "But I don't have my powers."

"You know how to retrieve them," the elder man countered. "The point of you telling us your story, I assume, was for you to get help to make a decision. Am I wrong? You can't make it on your own, so now I suggest we vote on the matter."

David and Emma exchanged a drained glance and silently agreed upon the matter.

"Let's ... sleep on this. Shall we?" the sheriff suggested. "We need time to consider if this is truly something which can benefit our fight against Regina and her quest for vengeance. What if we meet up here same time tomorrow and discuss our conclusions?"

The others voiced their consent and with that verdict, the eventful, informative gathering abruptly came to an end. While the tension still lingered on the air, it was mostly mute surprise that took charge into the evening.

"Well," David began. "I have to get home to my wife… See if she's slept off the effects yet."

The sheriff turned to her father in surprise with a frown on her fair face. "Effects of what?"

The man sighed and whispered under his breath, "She smoked a joint. Or two."

"_A joint?!_" Henry gasped and tried hard to cover his smirk as he gazed up at his grand-father.

The look on Emma's face was close to comical as she blinked up at David in disbelief. "Are you sure we're talking about the same woman here? _Mary Margaret_ did?"

The blond man grimaced as he reluctantly nodded. "I'll explain on the way home. Come on."

As the family of three quietly exited the shop, Alice lingered in their wake for a minute. Eventually, she pulled herself from her thoughts and headed for the door herself.

Before she reached it, however, Gold called her back.

"I almost forgot... I have something for you, Alice."

In confusion, the woman turned around as the elder man limped around a counter and opened a drawer out of sight. He searched inside it for a second and at last he withdrew his hand. Alice's jaw clenched as she saw the item which he now placed on the counter top in between them. Resting atop the glass surface was a blue, horned headpiece. Despite not having seen it for many years, the simple, familiar article brought back unwanted memories and Alice simply glared up at Gold.

* * *

As Alice walked down the main road of Storybrooke, she struggled to get her thoughts in order. She needed to be prepared for when she got home and faced Jefferson in the privacy of their home. She knew he had every right to both hate her and question everything about her. In truth, she had expected nothing less, but despite this she couldn't come up with any answers which seemed good enough to explain all the years of lies and deceit he'd had to endure.

As she walked, a car suddenly pulled up by the sidewalk next to the blonde woman. Alice glanced down as the passenger door suddenly opened beside her. In surprise, the woman bent forward and looked inside the car.

"Get in," a coarse voice spoke from the driver seat. "I'll give you a ride."

With a pensive sigh, Alice jumped into the car and barely had time to close the door before the vehicle moved onto the main road once more. Wasting no time, the blonde woman turned to the driver. "What do you want this time, Regina?"

The dark queen smirked, but otherwise kept her gaze on the road ahead. "You know what I want."

"Not much for small talk, huh? Well, me neither," Alice shrugged coldly as she too faced forward. "You want more magic. More power to defeat your enemies and finally win this endless struggle. Am I right?"

The dark-haired woman nodded in agreement and glanced at the other woman. "I've asked you once, and since I know Gold wants to take advantage of you, I figured I might as well offer my services once more. You have access to powers that you don't even use or want. But _I_ want them and could surely use them. Why not simply give them to me and do us both a favor?"

Alice snorted in amusement. "No, thank you, Regina." For some reason, she had a feeling she'd just walked into a trap. "Listen, Regina… If I can get away with it, I'd prefer not to take sides in this battle. This is between you and Snow White, as far as I know."

It was Regina's turn to snort and a murky truth shone in her coffee colored eyes. "By _not_ taking sides, you've already sided with Mr. Gold and Ms. Swan… You know, I find that quite ironic."

Entirely certain she was being baited, Alice still had to ask, "…Why?"

"I think the reason why where it concerns Gold speaks for itself, don't you agree? As far as Ms Swan goes… Well, I once offered to tell you about your sister here in Storybrooke, and I'll give you the information for free. Maleficent died shortly before the curse broke."

Despite it all, the news came as a shock to Alice. In truth, she'd heard nothing neither from nor about Maleficent since she'd first left the Enchanted Forest, but they'd still been sisters to the bitter end. Though she had many bad memories with her father, she had very few bad ones with her sister. To hear the truth now was more disturbing than Alice had counted on and she felt the pang of grief in her heart, which suddenly made it even harder to think straight.

At length, she managed a weakened, "…What?"

"Oh, did that _small _detail not come up in your little, late night meeting just now?" The queen asked as she turned a corner and glanced at the woman beside her once more. "How odd… Now, I could tell you what happened, but I'll need an answer from you first. You know how to retrieve your stolen powers, don't you?"

"...Perhaps. What's it to you?" Alice asked suspiciously and eyed the brilliant poker face of the queen beside her. When she received no reply, the blonde instead returned to the topic at hand and exhaled emotionally as she dared to breathe the question, "So what happened?"

Regina's smirk widened. "I'm so very glad you asked…"

* * *

As Alice stepped through the front door of her grand house, she could already sense the tension which lingered heavily in the evening air. As she removed her cloak, Jefferson suddenly appeared in the doorway to the hall and stiffly commented, "Grace is asleep. Come. Let's talk in your study."

Without a word, the woman followed her husband through the pale, narrow corridor and into the study which she knew lay furthest away from her daughter's room. She didn't need a second guess to know why her husband preferred it this way.

As she closed the door behind her, Alice heard Jefferson release a breath he must have carried for a long time that seemed to come from his very core. Whether it was good or bad, she wasn't sure at the moment.

Carefully, she turned around to face her husband. The study was mostly filled with bookshelves stuffed with books from the library, one perk of befriending the town's librarian, but there were also a desk upon which rested a chipped tea cup she'd been repairing earlier. On the far end of the room stood a sofa behind a low coffee table and it was by this table that her husband now wearily stood.

Jefferson's eyes were wide and almost mad, but she knew there was little fury in him. Alice knew the look on his face was one of immense confusion... and humiliation. He was so invested in his own mind, that the former hatter didn't even seem to realize his anxious manners were being observed.

"I always knew your return to us felt too easy and that we would one day pay another prize..." he suddenly rambled. "... and I did fear the prize would come from your withholding information from me... But should I have foreseen something like _this?_"

Alice decided to skip right to her defense, as if cutting through a massive wave, for she knew it was the only way for her to have any chance. She made sure, however, to keep her distance since her husband was already on the edge as it was. "I did it for your sake... Please know that. I thought the past would never make a difference, and we were both happier not knowing."

The man fingered the scarf around his neck before his eyes rose to meet hers. "You just never believed me when I said that I could have taken the truth, did you?"

"Well... Did _you_?" she countered and from the look in his eyes, Alice knew he had no direct reply for her at the moment. She immediately ceased the opportunity and pushed on, "I was _evil¸ _Jefferson. I simply wanted to forget that... I thought if I couldn't forget, I'd never be able to leave that part of myself in the past. It wasn't that I meant to lie to you, love."

"I'm not sure you know the meaning of the word," Jefferson disagreed with a distant look to his pale, emotional eyes.

"…Lying?"

Her husband bitterly shook his head and said, "Honesty." For a minute, neither one of them said a word as they both let the truth of his statement sink in. At length, Jefferson sighed, "Call me old fashioned, but I wish my wife had told me she was a dragon. I'm sure there was something in our vows about not breathing fire and sprouting horns every now and then."

Alice shook her head and cautiously took one step towards her husband. When he didn't back away, she took another step forward. "Please… don't make this a joke. I've finally opened up, like you wanted. Let's do what we always did in the past when we faced an obstacle. Let's process this. _Together_."

"I don't want to make a joke out of this… but I'm in shock here, Alice. I don't know what else to do," Jefferson admitted desolately and his eyes sought out his wife as if he could find all the answers in her own confused pools. "You'd think that after _years_ of marriage, the news would have come up once or twice."

"Oh really?" Alice asked in disbelief. "How? _'Honey, could you be a dear and chop some firewood for me to light? And when I say light, I mean with my warm, dragon's breath'_…?"

As if contemplating their life in a new light, the man cautiously asked, "You didn't actually ever…?"

"_No_, _Jefferson_!"

"Good!" he breathed but then another thought struck him like lightening. His pale eyes widened as fear beat in his body. "Does this mean Grace is a dragon, too?"

The blonde woman shrugged and frowned. "I don't know. Maybe. Magic is highly unstable here in Storybrooke and when I gave birth to our daughter, I didn't possess any powers myself. It's possible nothing will happen with Grace."

"When will we know for sure?"

"…When she turns thirteen."

Jefferson released another weary breath as he ran his hands furiously through his hair and stepped further away to gain some distance, both mentally and physically, from the woman. "That's in less than two years, Alice… Are you telling me my daughter could start breathing fire in two years and you couldn't have shared that with me sooner?! …If your powers hadn't returned now… would you _never_ have told me?"

Alice grimaced and felt her husband slip from her like sand between her fingers. With another, desperate shrug, she said, "I admit… I hadn't thought it through."

"We need to tell her."

The woman sighed as she knew he was right. "You're right. I'll do it."

Alice turned and tried to prepare herself for the awkward conversation that was bound to come now.

Before she could even reach the white, wooden door, however, Jefferson snarled, "Wait... This isn't Wonderland, Alice! You can't just turn everything upside down or inside out whenever you choose! Here, everything is what it is…and nothing else. You're in the real world now… stop playing by fairy tale rules."

"_Then what do you want me to do?_" Alice pleaded as a twinge of anger found its way into a corner of her tired heart. "Simply because I don't tell her, doesn't make it undone, Jefferson. Just tell me what I can do. _Please_. Tell me how to fix this."

The man shook his head and tears danced in his own eyes as he gazed down at his wife. Confusion ripped at his heart and he was sure he couldn't even tell right from wrong, or love from hate. No, that wasn't true. He knew he loved her, but also that he hated her lies. The combination only made it harder to face her now as his mind pulled him in different directions at once. "... Magic always comes with a prize. You taught me that, Alice. I think it's time you lived by your own warnings."

A lone tear trickled from the corner of her eye and slid down her cheek as she whispered, "That's what I was trying to do... I had everything I wanted, and now, because of magic, I'm afraid I'll lose it all again..."

Jefferson snorted and drew a shuddering breath. "I want us to go back to normal again, but I don't know _how_. You've spent all this time blatantly lying to me about a large piece of yourself... Nothing can undo that. I stand by what I said, though. Simply because you used to do evil things, doesn't mean I see you any differently now, Alice. It's the _lies_ and the impact all this will have on Grace that's _killing_ me... I love you, Alice... but clearly that was never enough for you."

Alice swallowed down her pain as she searched for any words to help her correct her errors but still came up short. This was exactly why she'd always wanted to keep her past a secret. With dark magic always came dark secrets and ever murkier lies. Still, though it pained her to no end to see her husband's disbelieving despair, she finally felt she'd done the right thing by opening up. At least, she hoped so. No matter what happened after this, perhaps they could have a clean start again, like so many times in the past.

"What can I do?" she repeated hoarsely.

Jefferson shrugged. "You tell me. What happens now? Do you keep the magic within you? Do you help Mr. Gold and Ms. Swan fight Regina? What?"

Alice sighed as she leaned against the wall by the door. "... I don't know. I'm meeting the group at Gold's pawn shop tomorrow again to discuss that very question. I think everyone was taken aback by my story and need to process what it means. I'm not even sure I _can_ help them... but I think I can't stay neutral anymore."

"... Why not?" her husband bluntly asked.

Alice closed her eyes tight. "When I went to see Who, he read my future and-"

"_Oh_!" Jefferson angrily interrupted and this time anger seemed plain on his breath. "So you're simply following the advice of a stoned larvae, is that it?"

The woman shook her head. "No, I-"

"How is it that _everyone_ else seems to be involved in this but me?" the former hatter questioned with a strong, mad voice. It seemed he had finally snapped and Alice let him vent as he continued, "Who, Ms Swan, Mary Margaret and the whole of Storybrooke! How come all of them knew before I did, _your husband_? Why do you go to everyone else for advice instead of me?"

"I'm asking you now," the woman pleaded and reached out for her husband but he retracted out of reach.

As he walked around her in the direction of the closed door, Jefferson muttered, "I can't do this right now..."

Alice watched as her husband forcefully opened the wooden door, walked out and firmly shut it behind him once more. The man's blunt pain and madness seemed to linger in the study but even though Alice knew she couldn't hold it against him, she didn't know what else to do either.

With a sigh, she walked over to the leather sofa. She wearily lay down upon it and merely glared up at the ceiling as her mind rebelled. It was many hours until a restless sleep finally claimed her worn mind.

* * *

The following evening, Alice opened the door to Gold's pawn shop to find the others already there. Mary Margaret, David and Emma all looked up at her as she entered. The shop owner himself insisted they'd retreat to the back room of his shop for a more secluded gathering and the others agreed at once.

Alice glanced down at the decorated headpiece which still lay upon the counter before she followed them into the room behind the shop. As she entered the private, more laidback - but still as mysterious - space, Alice could feel the others apprehension on the air.

In an attempt to ignore the awkwardness, she turned to the brunette, who stood by a bookshelf by the dark curtain which covered the doorpost, and asked, "I'm assuming David told you everything?"

"He did," Mary Margaret nodded.

"I'm sorry about the..."

The brunette smiled tightly as she walked over and sat down on the day bed in the room. "It's fine. My own fault."

"Well, we know why we're all here..." Emma crossed her arms over her chest and faced the other blonde with a gentle look as she made it clear that it was time for business.

Before the sheriff could continue, Gold interrupted her. He pointed his cane towards Alice as he sat down on a chair by the table. "_You_ could set us all free if you helped us defeat Regina."

"That's assuming I could actually be of use," Alice countered. "You all know where I stand in this... I'd rather live a life without magic, but I don't know how."

"And should you help us," Gold began with a soft, silky voice, "I might have something to help with that."

"I think we're all getting ahead of ourselves, aren't we?" David questioned and met the other's gazes as he stood by his wife's side. "Alice could only help us if she was truly powerful, but she only has a tiny amount of magic as it is."

Before anyone else could even comment, a sixth figure suddenly entered the small room. The others turned in surprise as Jefferson pushed the curtain aside and stepped in with a determined look on his handsome face. As his gaze met Alice's, he swiftly strode over to her and gazed down at her.

"I'm here..." he breathed with an assuring nod. "I know it doesn't change much, but I'm here."

"While we're all very glad you know how to point out the obvious," Gold drawled, "it still doesn't answer another vital question. _Why_ are you here?"

Jefferson glared at the seated man behind him before he looked at the others, with whom he actually felt some compassion and weak camaraderie. "I'm here because my wife was brave enough to risk everything by telling me the truth. She's already given it all up once because of you, _Gold_... I'm here to make sure she doesn't make another horrible deal with you."

"What changed?" Alice breathed as a smile played at the corner of her full lips.

Jefferson shrugged. "I remembered that things will never be simple with you, Alice. I knew that when I married you. I was forced to live with it when I thought you were dead and again when I found out you weren't. Our past is dark and murky... but our life together was good. It's something worth fighting for, don't you agree?"

Alice exhaled in relief and cupped his calloused hand in her smaller one. "Thank you for being here... I want to hear your opinion first. What do you think I should do?"

"Nothing," her husband admitted and squeezed her hand in his. "I don't want you to use your magic at all. You said yourself once that we can't build a family on dark magic."

The blonde nodded and gazed down at their joint hands. The decision didn't seem so tough when he was with her, just as she had always hoped it wouldn't be. "... Then I won't do anything."

"If you don't help us, I won't help you become... _magic free_ again," Gold suavely said with an innocent shrug from his seat and seemed untouched by the fact that the others all turned to glare down at him.

Jefferson madly growled, "That's blackmailing!"

"The best kind," the elder man breathed assuredly as he leaned further back into his seat. From his stance there could be no doubt that he had the upper hand, and knew very well how to wield his powers over them. "Now... shall we continue?"

"Wait... was this your plan all along, Gold?" Emma questioned with a frown but the man merely replied with a mysterious smirk.

"Let's just get this over with," Alice sighed reluctantly. "To answer your question, David… my sister owned a certain pendant. An old family heirloom. Do any of you know if it was ever retrieved here in Storybrooke?"

Mary Margaret and David exchanged a look and a shrug. The brunette turned and gazed up at the blonde woman. "I've never heard about it. But you must know, Gold?"

The elder man shook his head. "It's certainly not in my shop."

"What about _her_?" Alice asked and her unreadable gaze traveled from person to person.

Mary Margaret frowned up at the woman. "Who?"

"Regina," the blonde woman clarified. "Does she know where it is?"

Gold's smirk widened as he rose from his seat and walked a few limping steps towards the woman. As he stopped, he winked and admitted, "I know where it might be."

* * *

_To be continued._

_Reviews are always appreciated! If not, the next chapter should be up within a few days!_


	20. Confrontations

**20. Confrontations**

Mr. Gold led the small group along the main road of Storybrooke in the chilly spring evening. While the others exchanged confused looks about their intended target, the elder man ignored their questions and simply led them straight to the front doors of the library.

As he stepped up to it, Mr. Gold rapped on the locked door and stepped back to wait. As they waited, the stars gleamed down at them from the black heavens above while the moon hid behind the cover of some clouds. A few seconds later, the group heard the lock turn in the door and as it opened, Belle appeared in the doorway.

Admittedly, the young beauty preferred to go by the name of Lacey since her memory loss and she wasn't quite the same woman as before the events those few weeks ago. Still, she seemed to, at least in part, have regained her trust in Mr. Gold and there was even a small, timid smile as she stepped aside to let him pass.

"Thanks for letting us in," the elder man commented softly as the others followed him inside the library.

Alice and Jefferson entered last and exchanged a befuddled look. The elder man had still not explained his knowledge about the pendant's whereabouts, but neither Alice nor Jefferson could quite see how the library could be of interest. Were they simply there to look it up in one of the numerous book?

As the blonde woman gazed over at Mary Margaret, David and Emma, she realized that they didn't look as surprised as she felt about this mystery. Still, Alice had a decent idea why this was, but decided to keep her suspicions to herself. If she was to do succeed with her intentions, she had to play the patient card. At least for now.

Alice mutely watched as Mr. Gold limped over to a safe-door of sorts right ahead of the entrance to the library. On the sides of the large, metallic doors was a control panel and among other gadgets there was an old-fashioned wheel. Alice had been in the library often, but had never known exactly what the doors in question hid. As the elder main raised his hand towards the wheel, Jefferson took a step forward.

"Wait," he spoke. "No further until you explain some of this. What's behind that door? And could someone tell me why we need this pendant?"

Gold tilted his head sideways as he turned his edgy eyes to Alice. "Mind taking the last question?"

The blonde nodded and explained, "My sister's pendant is an ancient talisman. Among other things, it has the ability to protect its wearer, but it can also steal magic from others. By doing this, the wearer's own powers are increased by the stolen powers. As I told you, my sister stole my magic with it, meaning I can get the powers back as long as I find the pendant."

David cleared his throat from his position by the front door and the others looked over at him. The blond man glanced skeptically at them all before he asked, "What happens if we do find the pendant and you, Alice, get your powers back? I have a hard time believing magic is ever that simple..."

Alice wasn't quite sure how to respond to that. In truth, she was wondering the same thing. Inconspicuously she glanced behind at Mr. Gold. The elder man grimly returned her gaze, before he replied, "As far as I see it, there are two ways this can go down. If Alice regains her powers, she can either subdue them deep within herself - which we do not desire from the start - or learn how to control them as she used to. Needless to say, the one is easier than the other when you've been without powers for as long as Alice has."

Jefferson glanced from the pawnshop owner to his wife and cautiously asked, "How do you control it then?"

Alice smiled sadly up at her husband as she answered, "You have to let go of any attempt of controlling the magic first of all, and just let yourself embrace the power. It has to surge through you like the purest energy. To do that you have to focus all your magic, while releasing it at the same time."

"That sounds… tricky."

"It is," the blonde woman nodded with a grim smile. "But the knowledge was taught in my family for generation after generation. I remember how to do it."

Her husband wasn't as easily convinced and he stiffly exhaled before voicing his concerns, "…Are you sure you can do it? You've been powerless for a _long_ time, after all. Isn't there a chance that all of this will, literally, blow up in your face?"

Alice shrugged. "Well, yes."

"… Okay then. I was just checking," Jefferson said stiffly and looked ready to implode with barely concealed fear which boiled close to the surface as it was.

In an attempt to calm him, Alice placed a hand on his sleeve and waited until he locked gazes with her. "I'm aware of the risks. But this needs to be done. There's no other choice, remember?"

Her husband shook his head. "…I don't want you to do it, Alice. Let the Savior here figure out some other way to fight Regina. One that _doesn't_ include you having to sacrifice everything you've worked so hard to obtain."

"I've been given no other choice if I want this all to be over with once and for all. Just… go with it."

From his position by the door, Mr. Gold sarcastically quipped, "And perhaps that's not an option we can afford to await with our _loving, patient _Regina."

As if accepting his words to be the end of that argument, the man turned back to the control panel, pulled a lever and the small group of people watched as the mechanics of the doors slowly unlocked and then opened to reveal a cage-like, small area. "This is a hand-operated elevator that will take us down to the 'basement'."

"_Us_?" the blonde woman before him questioned.

"You and me, Alice."

Jefferson unconsciously stepped in front of his wife as suspicion crept into his pale eyes. "Why are _you_ going with her down there?"

"I need the rest of you to remain up here. You see, you need to lower us down by turning this wheel here, and the rest of you have to make sure Regina doesn't spoil our plans," the elder man replied coolly. "Now, this is how it works..."

As he briefly explained the mechanics of it, Alice felt Jefferson's hand slip into her own once more and relief flooded her body. She was still unsure if this decision was the right one for her, but it also seemed she would have no other choice if she wished to be free once and for all of her magic. She simply hoped her husband understood her desperation as well.

* * *

As the old-fashioned elevator came to a halt in what he'd referred to as the 'basement', Alice watched as Mr. Gold raised the doors to the cage-like elevator and stepped outside. The woman followed him closely and gazed about in wonder at her cave-like surroundings, which was nothing like the basement she'd expected.

The two of them walked side by side through a short corridor between the dark rocks until they reached a grander cave further below the library. The stone walls were illuminated by the pale light of the moon above, that somehow seemed to find its way even into this dungeon. Close to the entrance of the big hall stood a glass casket which Alice recognized.

"This was Snow White's, wasn't it?" she asked and the elder man barely glanced back at her as he limped further into the cave.

"Let's not focus on that now," he commanded. "Help me search for the pendant."

"...Why do you believe it's down here, Gold?" Alice questioned dryly. She already knew the answer, of course. Regina had told her the entire tale of her sister's unfortunate end. Still, she wanted to see how he'd react when she cornered him in this fashion.

"Because Maleficent was down here," the elder man replied in a short tone of voice. "Regina had her trapped here."

"...But she's not here anymore?" Alice baited with an innocent voice.

"No," Gold said without offering any type of explanation. "She is not. I'll go over to the left and have a look."

The woman watched in silence as the man limped away from her and sighed in exasperation. Alice turned and looked up at the walls only to see many dark layers of soot covered several of them. Clearly, Maleficent had fiercely breathed fire in here, for reasons Alice knew all about.

The blonde woman gazed about as she tried to think like her sister in order to find anything of use. She knew when humans turned into dragons, their beastly form often created a nest, of sorts, for themselves and at last Alice's eyes landed on what appeared to be a platform further away. The woman swiftly hurried over and climbed up the rocky side.

Upon the wide, stone platform there were few traces of her sister. Still, she'd expected nothing less from what had sounded like a gruesome death.

As she walked slowly across the platform something caught her eye. By the edge of a rock something gleamed in the pale moonlight. She walked over, knelt by its side and brushed soot and ashes away from the item.

"Gold!" Alice called out as she lifted the item from the ground to have a better look at it under the pale moonlight. Staring back at her was the purple mist within the centre of a most familiar pendant. "I've found it!"

* * *

"Are you guys just going to let him keep treating my wife this way? As if he can control her as he wishes? Are you okay with this?" Jefferson huffed from his stance by the doorway, where he kept a constant look-out through the blinds. The streets outside were quiet and empty, as was to be expected for this time of the day, but this knowledge did little to settle his already upset mind.

Emma sighed. "Of course we're not. But what do you want us to do?"

"I don't know," the former hatter admitted with a frown. "_Something_."

Even though Jefferson kept his back to the others, he could basically feel how they exchanged awkward, weary looks. He felt as if they all knew more about whatever lay ahead, but also knew that the real difference between them and him was that where they cared about the welfare of the citizens first, he cared about the welfare of his wife. He'd be damned if they sacrificed Alice for their selfless gains.

In what appeared to be a half-desperate attempt to move on, David walked over to the door to join the other man. "Listen... I'm no expert on magic exactly, but as far as I gather... Alice has only performed the _darkest_ of magic in her childhood. I don't know how it works, but are you sure she can control any eventual evil energy that could come back with the magic?"

The former hatter sighed with a grimace and raised his pale gaze to meet the prince's. "No... I have no idea. All I know is what Rumpelstiltskin once told me, while I worked on a particularly nasty chore. That magic is harder to stop, than it is to start. I'm more worried about that part, to be honest..."

"Is it not true that..." David trailed off.

"Go on," Jefferson encouraged, despite the suspicious feeling which pumped in his veins.

"She's done evil things, there's no point ignoring that. Her heart bust have begun to blacken with it... Isn't it true that once a heart is tainted with evil, it only grows darker?"

"Everyone deserves a second chance," Mary Margaret argued from where she stood beside Lacey and Emma.

The two men turned to gaze at the women while the words faded into the shadows of the late evening.

At length, Jefferson sighed and shrugged as he turned back to face the man by his side. His eyes danced with fear which betrayed his doubts as he said, "I think it's a common misconception. As your wife so kindly pointed out. Everyone capable of love must be capable of redemption. Don't you think?"

Before the conversation could continue, the doors beside them suddenly burst open violently, as if a giant had thrown them open. It knocked the two men out of the way and everyone jumped to attention as Regina appeared in the doorway.

"I'm sorry," the brunette spoke as a dark smirk grew on her full, dark-painted lips. "Should I have knocked first?"

Jefferson recovered quickly and jumped up from the ground to face the evil queen in any way he was capable. His actions were expected as the tall, powerful woman stepped straight towards him and met him halfway. The man barely had time to react as he saw her reach into her coat pocket for something which gleamed in the light as she withdrew it.

Regina's dark eyes were emotionless as she plunged the cold steel of her dagger into Jefferson's stomach. The man inhaled sharply as the diffuse pain invade his body and he gasped for air in an attempt to calm his shock. The queen, meanwhile, leaned in close to his ear and whispered her devious intents before shoving him away from her.

* * *

"What's taking them so long?" Alice pondered out-loud as she stood by Gold's side in the elevator once more. They'd already called up to the others on ground-level that they were ready to leave, but there had yet not been any response. All was totally silent from above.

The elder man sighed with a shrug and too glanced upwards. "I don't know."

At last, the elevator started moving with a low creaking sound. It moved steadily and fast upwards until they came closer to ground-level and could make out David's shape up ahead.

The grim look upon his features immediately had Alice at full alert. She urged the elevator to move forward and with each passing second felt dread fill her heart. Something bad had happened.

When the elevator at last reached its target, David stepped before them in the doorway. Alice got the distinct impression he was trying to stop them, or at the very least protect them from seeing something in the area behind him.

He raised a calming hand which his words immediately contradicted, "Regina was here."

"What?" Gold asked as Alice glanced over the prince's shoulder.

Her eyes landed on the still form of Jefferson by the door and her heart stopped. Without any thoughts in her weary mind, she shoved past David and rushed over to her husband. Mary Margaret already knelt by his side and covered something on the man's stomach with her tainted scarf.

As Alice gave her an imploring glare, the brunette briefly raised the scarf for Alice to have a look. On one side of his stomach, she could clearly see a stab wound between the layers of his clothes. His shirt and jacket were already tainted dark red and it seemed the scarf, too, would soon be covered with the dark liquid.

"Regina stabbed him," Emma explained as she stepped forward. "She barely tried to get past me. She just transported herself out of here after... I'm sorry."

"...How is he?" Alice breathed as one of her shaky hands traced the jaw line of her husband's pale face.

"Alive. He goes in and out of consciousness," Mary Margaret informed.

Lacey, meanwhile, turned to Mr Gold my her side and implored, "Can't you heal him, Mr. Gold, like you did with me in the forest?"

The elder man shook his head somberly. "That's not an ordinary wound, dearie. Look at the foam along the edges of it."

Alice swiftly caught on to what went unsaid and whimpered. "..._poison_."

"Yes," Mr Gold nodded in confirmation. "There's nothing I can do."

In that second, Jefferson's eyes fluttered open and Alice cupped his cheek as she begged him to focus on her. For a second it seemed he was lost, but then he blinked and gazed up at her.

"...Alice?" he breathed hoarsely.

"I'm here, love," the woman promised. "Stay with me."

"_Grace_!" Jefferson's eyes were suddenly wide and clear as he gazed up at his wife with plain terror and pain. "When... R-regina stabbed me, she... said she was going after G-grace."

"What?" Alice breathed in fright. "Why?"

"The pendant..."

"Of course," the blonde nodded in understanding and jumped from the floor. "She's going to use my daughter as leverage to get the pendant. I have to get home and protect her!"

"I'll go with you," David nodded and the two headed straight towards the door as no more words needed to be said.

"Don't you dare die on me," Alice ordered her husband before she disappeared out the door, closely followed by the blond prince.

* * *

As David parked the car outside the house, Alice was practically out the passenger seat before he could completely stop the car. The woman raced up the stairs with the key already in hand and unlocked the door hastily.

As she swung the door open, she immediately called out, "_Grace_! Honey! Grace, are you home?"

For a few seconds everything was silent in the dark, unlit house before she heard the whimpering voice of her daughter. "I'm in here, mom..."

David reached the porch behind her and followed the terrified woman as she walked further down a corridor in search of the source of the frail voice. As Alice and David approached the living room, they could see a light shining from within it. The man swiftly drew his service gun and raised it as the two of them entered the grand room.

Regina stood in the very centre of the room, between the wide sofa and the dining room table, with Grace clutched tightly n her grasp. The young girl's eyes danced with fear as she saw her mother slowly step closer into the room. As the queen noticed their company, she opened her palm only to reveal a fiery orb within it.

With extreme caution, Alice positioned herself straight in front of the queen and boldly met her gaze while she saw David's raised gun from the corner of her eye.

"If he shoots, we all know the girl is dead," Regina remarked in amusement.

The man shook his head as he steadily kept his gun pointed at the queen. "You underestimate my aim, Regina."

* * *

"What's the verdict, doc?" Emma asked as Dr Whale exited the infirmary room to convey the news to her. As soon as they saw him approach, Mary Margaret and Mr. Gold stepped up beside the sheriff to hear the information also.

Dr Whale looked troubled as he admitted, "I don't know yet. The bleeding isn't too severe, at least. But I'm not sure I should operate on him before we find a way to remove the poison from his body. Whatever poison it is, it's not from this world."

"...Meaning you have no cure for it?" Emma asked and the doctor simply nodded. The sheriff ran a weary hand through her long, blonde locks and exchanged a look with Mary Margaret. Eventually, she turned back to face the doctor. "Do it. Operate on him. We'll find a way to solve this."

Dr. Whale nodded and hastily turned on his heel while he called out orders for the nurses to prepare for the emergency surgery. As he disappeared down the hallway, Emma noticed how Mr. Gold threw on his scarf and turned around as well.

She turned to him and frowned. "Where are you going, Gold?"

The elder man glanced back and casually explained, "To tell Alice of Jefferson's death warrant."

Mary Margaret glared back at him as the two women watched him head towards the exit. "We're not certain of that. He might still make it."

"Perhaps," the man agreed. "But I need my beast."

* * *

The evil woman turned her amused, dark gaze to the blonde woman in front of her. "You know what I want. Give it to me and no one has to get hurt."

"You mean except Jefferson..." Alice's voice broke as she spoke and despite her best attempt, she couldn't hide her grief and anger towards the queen.

"I tried offering you another solution earlier, Alice," Regina said condescendingly before her eyes turned cold as winter frost. "You should have taken it."

Alice silently glared across the space at the despicable woman before her. The smirk on the queen's mouth was evidence enough of the order of things. They all knew who truly had the upper hand in this and there was nothing to gain from ignoring it.

With a shaky breath, the blonde woman reached a hand inside her coat pocket and withdrew the ancient pendant. "Just take it."

Regina closed her palm and so extinguished the fire within it as she stepped around the young girl and headed towards her prize. She wordlessly grabbed the pendant from Alice's waiting hand.

"Thank you, dear," The queen smirked and with those as her parting words, transported herself out of the house in a purple fog.

As soon as they were certain the danger was gone, David lowered his gun as Alice threw herself forward and embraced her shivering daughter tightly in her arms. Grace clutched onto her mother's sleeves tightly as she quietly sobbed. Alice was only half-aware that the white rabbit skipped over to them in that instance and stayed close to their feet, as if hoping to attain some safety himself.

"It's alright," her mother muttered over and over as she held the girl closer to herself.

Alice was unsure how many minutes passed like this as mother and daughter clutched each other and swayed in the spot, when suddenly a voice broke through their little bubble.

"Gold?" David asked with a frown as he turned to face the corridor. "What are you doing here?"

"I need to talk to Alice. _Alone_," the elder man ordered as he limped into the big living room. As his eyes connected with the woman's, she knew immediately what he had come to say.

Alice pulled away from her daughter. "Grace, take Lewis and go with David into the kitchen. Make yourself a cup of tea, will you?"

As soon as the girl, the rabbit and the prince were out of range, the elder man stopped and once more looked at the woman. Though he didn't speak, Alice could basically hear him anyway by simply reading the tension which crept into the room with each step he came closer.

"Any news about Jefferson?" Alice asked with a frail voice. "Is he safe?"

"He's dying. There's no cure for him in this world," Mr. Gold commented bluntly. "And I'm assuming Regina has the talisman, and thereby the power of three more sorcerers?"

The woman sniffled and wiped at a tear she hadn't even been aware of shedding. Quietly, she whispered, "Yes... Happily ever after was never in my cards, was it?"

After a second of silently watching her with unreadable eyes, the elder man leaned closer and said in an equally low voice, "_That_, dear, is entirely up to you."

The woman breathed as her mind desperately tried to keep hold of the reality around her which seemed so surreal at the moment. The news of her husband's imminent death hit her hard and with each second it became harder and harder to breath and focus.

"We need to strike Regina _now_, before she gets acquainted to her new powers," the man said forcefully and managed to break through her weakened mind.

"How? She took all the magic before I could take it myself," Alice asked but as her eyes noticed the darkness in the man's eyes, she knew there was more coming. At once, she collected herself and stood tall as she asked, "You have another plan, don't you?"

Mr. Gold smirked. "I do. And you don't really need the magic in the pendant, anyway, to release the _beast_ in you..."

* * *

After the incidents in the house, Alice asked David to drive Grace to the hospital, where she would be both safe while also close to her father. Alice wanted nothing more than to hope for Jefferson's shocking recovery, but from what Mr. Gold had told her, the chances were slim he'd even make it through the night.

Alice found that with each passing second, this thought alone seemed to create a black hole within her heart that almost entirely consumed all other emotions. She began to simply feel empty inside.

As the young woman followed the elder man through the woods, she inconspicuously glanced ahead. She had no idea why he was taking her deeper and deeper in between the green trees, but from the determination in his limping steps, she knew it had to be good. As she saw his moonlit profile, she could also see something gleam in his eyes. Something which only told Alice that Mr. Gold had no true idea of what was to come next.

After a long hike, the woman saw the mysterious well up ahead. She had heard it was a magical well that could recover what was lost, and as soon as she remembered this, Alice also knew the reason why they had come here.

Mr. Gold stepped up to the well and turned around to face her. Wordlessly, he reached within his coat pocket and withdrew something. Alice glared down at the blue headpiece which was so familiar even in the pale light of night.

"If you want your powers back, or at least the one part of you," he began and nodded behind him at the stone well, "all you have to do is drop this into it and make the wish. It's as simple as that."

"... If it was that simple, why didn't you take me here sooner?" Alice questioned, though they both knew the answer to that question.

Without waiting for the reply, the woman instead stepped over to him and gently took the headpiece from within his grasp. She stepped past the man and stood to glare down into the depths of the well.

Her heart hammered away within her chest, but she knew what had to be done. She closed her eyes tight and silently preyed as she released the ornate headpiece. She opened her eyes and watched its descent into the well. As it at last hit the waters far below, Alice saw the purple mist that started to rise from it.

It was not long before the purple mist rose to the edges of the well and upon its top rested the headpiece. Amused to have it back, the woman placed it atop her head and waited. It was only seconds before the mist completely surrounded her and Mr. Gold stepped back in awe.

He watched as the mist seemed to be sucked into her very core and disappeared out of sight. Mr. Gold smirked. So he'd won that round, too, then. He was finally going to get his much needed beast.

As Alice kept her stiff back towards him, the man limped one step closer and whispered, "Now, release the beast, Alice..."

He moved to take another step, but Alice's hand suddenly whipped up. Mr. Gold felt himself being thrown back against the closest tree and held in place by some invisible chains from which he could not flee. The more he struggled against his bonds, the more they dug into his skin and began to pain him.

As trepidation filled his heart, he turned his gaze back up to the woman who'd fully turned around now. In shock, the elder man watched as her iris was entirely black and soulless. It sent shivers even up the man's spine. Alice blinked and suddenly her eyes were back to normal, yet not so. Mr. Gold could sense a new coldness within her and held his breath as she stepped down towards him.

A cold, sinister smirk spread across her lips as she bemusedly commented, "Careful what you wish for, Rumpelstiltskin."

* * *

_To be concluded!_


	21. Transformation

_A/N: I'm sorry for the long wait, but I has a burglary in my apartment last week. obviously my computer was stolen and so of course all my work on this chapter. Things are slowly getting back to normal here, but this chapter is all composed anew on my iphone, so my apologies for any spelling errors and further delays!_

_Only one more chapter after this! Hope you all enjoy it!_

* * *

**21**. **Transformation  
**

Blood pumped through Mr. Gold's body as he watched the dark creature before him. As he gazed at the beautiful woman, he felt certain she was not the same as before. There was simply a cold darkness in Alice's eyes, but the man wasn't sure whether this was brought on by the magic or her grief for her husband. Either way, the detachment in her eyes seemed to reflect what was in her soul; a great, vast emptiness.

As a chill crept through the man's body, he swiftly realised he had failed to calculate a situation like this. Despite his own powers, she had taken him offguard and he was stuck, both literally and physically.

Despite this, he struggled against his invisible bonds in vain.

"Don't worry, Rumpelstiltskin," the woman spoke as she slowly walked up to his form and looked positively delighted to see him cornered. There was an almost carnal happiness in her gaze as she tilted her head sideways and inspected his suspiscious features. "Despite what one might believe, this was never about vengeance towards _you_. We both know your darkest days are yet ahead..."

Mr. Gold pondered her words as he attempted to relax somewhat against the tree, though the position was highly uncomfortable and the bonds pressed hard against his ribs. "How long have you planned this, then?"

Alice shrugged innocently. The twinkle in her eyes intensified as she inhaled deeply and seemed to fill with unseem powers. "I told you I wasn't taking sides. I'm doing this for me. For him."

"What are you going to do?"

* * *

Grace rushed ahead of David through the pale, sterile corridors as her heart pumped madly within her chest. In her frightened arms rested Lewis and the rabbit bounced to and fro with each frantic step of the girl.

At last the young girl rounded the final corner and spotted her teacher Mary Margaret not far ahead. The brunette woman looked worried as she stood close in a whispered conversation with the town's sheriff.

"Where's my dad?" Grace demanded out of breath as she came to a full stop beside the women.

Emma and Mary Margaret exchanged an anxious look before the sheriff leaned forward until she was eyelevel with the girl. With a kind, yet sad, smile, the woman said, "Your dad just got out of surgery and his wounds are stabilized. At least, for now."

Grace sensed there was more to it. "...But?"

Emma hesitated. "Because there's no cure for the poison in his body, he's slipped into a coma. Dr Whale did everything he could."

"So..." The girl began with a quivering voice as she embraced the rabbit tightly in her arms. The rest of the world seemed to crumble around her. "... M-my dad will die?"

* * *

Gold waited breathlessly for the woman's answer. At length, he asked again with more force, as if this would help his cause. Frankly, he disliked being unable to do anything but wait for the woman to act. "Alice, _what_ are you planning?"

The woman snorted at last as she stepped around his tree almost teasingly. Whether willingly or as a result of the magic, she was enjoying this dark game of hers. "You already know the answer to that."

The elder man hesitantly nodded as he boldly met her gaze when she stopped in front of him again. If he played a smart deal, he could still turn this around as he wished it. He masked his true intentions behind a well-worn mask and said, "It won't bring him back to life, you know."

"I know," the woman breathed and for a fraction of a second her eyes flashed with genuine pain. Soon after, the emotion vanished without a trace as if washed away with a huge wave. The coldness in her voice seemed to echo between the calm trees. "No more than it will bring back my sister."

Gold stiffened. "You know the truth then?"

"The truth you tried to keep from me? Oh yes... Regina told me that your _Saviour_ slew the _beast_ in the basement," with her interest peaked, the blonde woman couldn't help but question, "You're not honestly surprised by all this, are you? You of all people knew there was never any foundation for a collaboration between us... Especially not after everything that's transpired right here in Storybrooke. Truth had to be out and it's time we both stopped lying."

The elder man sensed what went unsaid and raised his chin. "What do you want to know from me?"

"It's very simple," Alice cooed and leaned closer until her breath traced his cheek. With a low voice, she whispered into his ear, "Tell me Regina's weaknesses."

* * *

Grace sniffled. Her pale, sad eyes were glazed over as she sat by her father's bedside and silently listened to the beeps of the monitors. Thoughts swirled round and round in her head as she gently patted the rabbit in her arms.

Helplessly, she reached out to her mother with her mind but knew it was in vain. No one could tell the girl where her mother was, and for some reason this fact seemed to distress Mary Margaret and the others.

"How are you holding up, Grace?" the girl looked up and saw the teacher in question in the open doorway. The sympathetic smile on the woman's lips drew fresh tears to Grace's eyes. The girl blinked furiously as if attempting to cover it up.

"Better than Lewis," Grace attemped bravely. "Have you heard from my mom yet?"

The brunette shook her head as she walked over to the bed and crouched down beside the chair. "I'm sorry, no... So your bunny's name is Lewis? He seems really sweet."

"He's not a real bunny," Grace offered as she desperately grabbed onto the new topic. She needed something else to talk about than her comatose father and absent mother. "He was created by magic when my dad made this gift hat for my mum. Or so he tells me. Dad always insists Lewis was special..."

Mary Margaret frowned. "Special how?"

The girl shrugged as she gazed down at the white fluff in her arms. "Dad says he couldn't have created the hat or Lewis if he hadn't loved my mom as much as he did... Does. It's a true love's gift, I think that's what he called it."

Though Grace was young, she immediately noticed the effect her words had on the teacher. Hope awoke in the young girl herself as she saw it sparkle in Mary Margaret's warm gaze.

"Did you know true love is the most powerful of magic, Grace?" The woman asked and turned as David and Emma appeared in the doorway. Without delay, she turned back to the seated girl by her side. "If I know enough about magic, I think perhaps you and Lewis could help your dad."

"Mary Margaret," David breathed softly. "Don't get her hopes up..."

"Why not? It's worth a try, isn't it?" The brunette asked.

Grace jumped out of her seat and desperately turned her gaze between the grownups. "Please, I'll do anything... What can I do?"

As Emma stepped forward, Mary Margaret explained. "When Henry ate the poisoned apple pie, it was true love's kiss, from mother to son, which healed him."

Grace nodded in understanding and turned to face the still, pale body of her father on the hospital bed beside her. Slowly, she placed Lewis on the man's chest, and watched as the bunny settled down right atop of Jefferson's heart.

The girl then shifted closer to her dad's head and stroked one hand through his short hair as she leaned closer. Her gaze briefly lingered on the old scar across his neck, which mockingly seemed to leer at the world from its position. She squeezed her eyes tight and silently whispered, "I love you, Dad..."

As she gently pressed a kiss to his cold cheek, Grace felt a surge of energy pass through her body and a blindening light erupted from beneath the rabbit momentarily. All of them covered their eyes, but the light disappeared almost at once.

As Grace looked down at her father's face, there was no change for a second. Breathlessly, she lifted the bunny from his chest and at once Jefferson inhaled deeply and his eyes flew wide open.

Emma reacted swiftly and put a hand on the shocked man's shoulder as his gaze flickered around in search of a fixed point. "Don't get up. Just relax, Jefferson."

The man swiftly turned his gaze to his daughter and as a tear slid down her cheek, Jefferson pulled her close in a warm, fatherly embrace. He clung to her little form as tears surfaced in his own pale gaze.

"It's alright, Grace," he whispered and his voice broke slightly as evident relief washed over him. "I'm alright, thanks to you."

The moment was interrupted by the ringing of the sheriff's phone. Emma swiftly pulled it from her pocket and frowned down at the item. "It's Gold." Without further ado, she answered, "Hello, Gold? Where are you?"

"We have a problem on our hands," the man's voice was hard and cold over the phone. "A beastly problem."

"I don't understand," Emma frowned. "Is Alice with you?"

"Listen," Gold began, "I'm by the well in the forest. I'll explain everything to you shortly, but right now I need you to send David to come stop a small forest fire. It's not dangerous to anyone yet, and will stay under control if you get someone here soon."

The sheriff turned her back to the others in the room and whispered into the phone, "Did Alice do this? Gold... Jefferson's fine. He'll make it. You didn't have to do anything."

There was a short pause in which Emma could basically feel his mocking smile, before the man said, "If you only understood my reasons... Alice just left me here, but not before starting the fire and making this call for me. If I wasn't tied down, you see, I could handle this on my own. As it is..."

"I'll be right there."

Gold hurriedly refused, "I need you to do something else... Protect your son. I'm afraid Alice is quite out of control and might come after Henry to avenge her husband's and her sister's death. Henry is both yours and Regina's weakness. And I believe she's pretty vexed with you both, right now."

From the bed, Jefferson tried to eavesdrop and as soon as he noticed the stiffness to the sheriff's shoulders, he felt his own heart constrict. He scooted up until he was sittkng properly and glared at the others as he forcefully spoke, "What the hell has Gold done to my wife this time?!"

* * *

Alice looked out the window and up and down the street to make sure she was alone and unwatched as she dialled the number on her phone. Impaitiently, she waited for the person on the other end to pick up as the seconds ticked by.

At last, the dark, drawling voice of Regina answered, "What do you want?"

"You know exactly what I want," Alice spoke and felt hatred pump through her heart even from hearing the Queen's voice. She'd been angry many times before in her life, such as when Rumpelstiltskin had first forced her to leave her happy life behind or when she'd learned the truth about her sister's demise. But none of it compared to this. "You killed my husband... You didn't actually believe I'd let you get away with it?"

"You have no other choice," Regina replied coldly. Plainly, this was not a conversatiom she had expected, nor intended to react to. "I have the upperhand, Alice. Especially with your sister's pendant. There's no point for a magical duel."

Alice changed tactic as she glanced behind her into the darkened parts of her tea shop. A smile played at the corner of her lips. "Have you asked your son what he thinks of this? I have. In fact, Henry's here right now and _insists_ that you fight me... Do you know why? Because if you don't... I'll do to him what you did to Jefferson. I advise you to take me seriously. You of all people should know what a woman scorned is capable of..."

There was a brief pause and Alice smirked. She finally had the upperhand and they both knew it. Whomever had said that revenge was sweet, had been one clever person.

"Put my son on the line."

Alice refused to cave to the woman's demand. "That would be playing fair..."

"Meet me on the main street," Regina spoke with plain aggression as she conceeded at last. "You'll have your duel."

* * *

David had driven into the woods and released Mr. Gold from the tree, as soon as he had been able. Together the two men had then proceeded to extinguish the fire that had spread towards the east without much difficulty. There hadn't been much talking since they both knew time was of the essencw in this. Still, in the car ride back to town, the elder man had refused to explain himself.

Even as David parked the car outside the pawn shop, the man hadn't said a word about any of it. The blond prince sighed as he watched the elder man limp towards the door to his shop and open the door, as if he had no worries in the world. That he had been recently overpowered was a fact he seemed to have already forgotten.

The man had barely entered the main room of his shop when suddenly someone shot forward and grabbed him tightly by the coat collar. David hurried inside and saw the furious hatter shake the elder man with madness and anger in his pale, wide eyes. Further into the shop stood a shocked Mary Margaret with her arm around Grace's shoulder. The young girl seemed incapable of turning away from the scene before her.

"Where is she?" Jefferson growled and his knuckles turned white from the force by which he grabbed hold of the other man's collar.

"If you release me, I'll tell you everything," Gold's voice remained calm and indeed he seemed to have expected this outcome.

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't wring your throat right now?" Jefferson growled and the truth of his question danced deep within the shadows of his features.

"Apart from the fact that I'm the only one who can help your wife return to normal, I can give you one more reason. Do you truly want to let your daughter keep watching this mad display, knowing her mother could already be lost to the darkness?"

"Alice is _not_ lost." Reluctantly, Jefferson pushed the elder man away from him and instead crossed his arms over his chest in an open display of malcontent and bottled up fury. "Speak."

"I brought Alice into the woods, to the well. It has the power to retrieve what is lost, as you know... And I had Alice retrieve her most beastly powers that could never have ended up in the pendant Regina stole. I had no idea of knowing Alice would doublecross me. Granted, she was inconsolable-"

Here, Jefferson frowned and interrupted. "Why?"

Mr. Gold grimaced with a pointed glare. "I had told her you passed away. It's possible she planned this, but it's more likely the darkness to her powers were too great for her mind."

"What are you saying, Gold?" David asked from the door. "Is she... evil now?"

"My mom's not evil!" Grace argued angrily from her position at the back.

"I'm afraid she might be now..." the elder man disagreed and once more faced the mad husband before him. "She wants to avenge your death, I'm sure. She asked me about Regina's weaknesses... And I told her the truth."

"_Henry_," Mary Margaret breathed in understanding. "You named Henry as her weakness."

"Thankfully, he's out of danger."

Everyone turned as two people walked in through the door and David and Mary Margaret breathed in relied at the sight. Immediately, the blond man stepped over and pulled the young boy into a relieved bear hug while exchanging smiles with Emma.

"He's perrectly fine," Emma promised again. "He was home alone in the apartment. And he hadn't heard anything from Alice. Obviously, whatever she had planned didn't include him."

Mr. Gold eyed the young boy with an unreadable look to his dark eyes. "It was to throw us off-track," he breathed at last. "Henry, the fire in the woods... It was all to draw our attention away from her and keep us occupied elsewhere."

Jefferson frowned and his shoulders slumped in defeat. Noticing this, Grace hurried over to her father and grabbed onto his hand. The man smiled down at his daughter in gratitude before he looked up at the man before him. "All of this... It's the reason she didn't want her powers back. If only you could have listened to her... This is all your fault, Rumpelstiltskin. Now we don't know what the darkness will make her do."

* * *

Slowly, as if she had all the time in the world, Alice walked onto the main street and spotted the slender, familiar figure ahead. In the middle of the street, right beside the town's clock, stood the impatient Regina. She wore a dark, simple coat, but even the plainness couldn't hide the wicked sparkle in her eyes.

Alice walked until she was about thirty feet in front of the queen and then stopped. Her gaze immediately recognized the pendant around the queen's neck and she knew exactly what this meant. The Evil Queen had never been as powerful, and therefor never as dangerous. Still, Alice had the feeling that she would still be able to puy up s good fight with the ace up her sleeve.

"Thank you for agreeing to this, Regina."

"Anytime," the dark woman said and barely managed to hide the anger which lingered just beneath the surface. She moved into a aggressive pose as she opened the palms of her hands to reveal orbs of blue fire within them. "Are you ready to play?"

"Are you?"

Alice snorted and as she did, tendrils of smoke escaped from her nose. Regina noticed and hesitated briefly. She'd seen it often before and so wasn't surprised as she watched the blonde woman close her eyes in concentration. Still, the dark queen had to step back as the transformation began.

With incredible speed, Alice's skin turned into glistening scales and her body changed form and size. With snakelike agility, the beasts neck and body grew until it covered most of the street. The tip of the beast's pointed tail whipped into a window and the glass shattered to the ground as the transformation ended with the appearance of two gigantic wings on the creature's back.

Regina was forced to raise her gaze high as the dark skinned dragon stood nearly as tall as the clock by its side. The queen was certain there was a mocking sneer on the beast's features.

* * *

_To be concluded!_


	22. Rain On Your Parade

_A/N: And so we have reached the grand finale of The Curious and The Mad. I hope it is to your liking. _

_Further down the road, I intend to rewrite this story and touch up on the errors, adjust the story onto a straighter path and perhaps edit out some things I've found to be out of place. _

_For now, though, I simply want to present this chapter to you, which I dedicate to the creators of OUaT and to you loyal readers out there! Thank you!_

* * *

**22. Rain on your parade**

As a thunderous echo suddenly broke through the silence, everyone in the small pawn shop exchanged confused glances. All of them tried to place the unfamiliar noise but there was little recognition to be found between them. The sound itself had come from outside and not too far away, but the maker of it seemed harder to determine.

"What was that?" Mary Margaret managed at last, as she still held onto the young girl beside her.

David let his gaze travel over to Mr. Gold briefly, before he adressed them all with a hesitant voice, "It sounded like..."

By his side, the young boy frowned up at his grandfather as the latter let his voice fade ominously into a quiet nothing. "Like _what_?"

The blond man sighed. "Like a dragon."

"No way!" Henry breathed and awe touched the edge of his voice.

"_Alice_..." Jefferson breathed as the boy ran over to the front door and opened it wide enough to simply peak outside.

The others looked over at him as Henry drew a sharp intake of breath. When he turned his face back to the people inside the store, his cholocate colored eyes were a mix of amazement and trepidation. "There _is_ a dragon! And they're fighting!"

The words worked like a starting pistol and the group of people jumped to life at once. With three wide strides, Jefferson was the first to reach the door and threw it open with furious anxiety. As he rushed outside, he was swiftly followed by everyone else. The small gang stopped on the street before the pawn shop and gazed towards the center of town and the clock tower, where there was more than a little commotion.

For a second, none of them could believe their eyes at the sight that presented itself before them. High up in the blue skies flew a magnificent beast that looked nothing less than intimidating and deadly where it soared in all its glory. The dragon furiously roared once more and everyone flinched back in fright as the sound echoed all the way over to them.

Far below it, on the streets closest to the clock tower, there was already an evident early stage of chaos and disorder. Cars were lit aflame and the smell of burning rubber lingered on the spring air where it mixed with the villagers fear. People fled to and fro on the street in desperation to simply evade the battle in the middle of their town.

The only person unafraid in the middle of the burning chaos was a familiar woman. Regina herself stood her ground in the middle of the road, barely touched by the flames that licked the houses and cars on either side of her.

As the group watched on from the distance, the queen raised her hands and gigantic orbs of fire, the sizes of small cars, appeared from the palm of her hand. Seemingly without effort, the dark woman threw her deadly weapons towards her foe in the skies.

"Alice!" Jefferson shouted helplessly as fear ripped his soul in half. It felt as if his heart stopped when he watched the dragon evade the balls of fire unscatched, but all the more vexed. The former hatter knew his heart would not fully restart until he held his wife safe in his arms once more.

"Wait!" Grace cried by his side as she gazed from the spectacle and up to her father. A frightened light shone in her eyes. "Is that... _mom_?!"

The man grimaced down at her in a mute reply and reached for her, but his hand stopped midair. A thought struck him and he pushed all fatherly emotions aside as he swirled around to face the pawn shop owner. The elder man looked composed as he watched the battle in the distance and didn't seem to realize that the hatter's fury return in full force.

"This is your fault, Gold!" Jefferson growled as his hand wrapped around the elder man's collar once more. "Look at what you've done!"

"I disagree," the other man spoke in a suave, soft voice as he pushed the hatter's hands away. As he brushed off his coat, Mr. Gold coldly explained, "_I_ haven't done anything here."

"Forget that now," Emma said forcefully and stepped between the two men before another brawl could erupt. "Let's focus on what we have to do now."

"We have to help her!" Jefferson argued bitterly and waved a hand towards the spectacle before them. Alice in her mighty dragon's form had swooped down to grab the witch, but had missed her target by a mere inch. In fury, the dragon spat fire towards the queen and the flames danced viciously once more in the air.

Mary Margaret frowned. "How do you even help a dragon?"

* * *

The firey breath of the beast narrowly missed the Evil Queen as she deflected it with a simple spell of her own. The warmth of the flames lingered on the skin of her cheek, though in a far more pleasent way than a full blow would have.

Regina watched as the firey orb finally descended upon a vehicle beside her on the road and she gazed up as the smoke rose towards the pale skies and the dragon above. From somewhere behind her, she could hear cries and whimpers of villagers in hiding, but chose to overlook it. Their lives meant little to her anyway, whether or not they were injured in this battle was beyond her care or notion.

Instead, the queen could not help the smirk which slowly crept over her dark-painted lips. Though the battle would seem to be in Alice's favor, Regina knew the truth was far different. In reality, the powers of four sorcerers pumped strong through her veins, spreading pure force through her body with each breath she took. In reality, this meant she would not be easily defeated.

There seemed to be nothing in existence to match her current strength, not even the dragon before her. Surely, Alice put on a brave show, but it seemed apparent even to the queen that this was all it was. A show. Regina was even certain now that Henry was out of harms way, and had never been in any actual danger. Despite this, the Queen had no intention to stop their fierce struggle.

It was also plain to the queen that Alice was unaccustomed to duels and evidently still somewhat hesitant about her own steength as a beast, all which worked further in Regina's favor.

Even though the balance between the two were greatly uneven, the dark woman was no fool. No dragon is ever easily slain. There was no sword at her disposal, but still there were other ways to kill a beast. If she was to defeat Alice for good, she'd need a good plan.

Regina flung two great orbs of fire towards Alice to gain some time, and watched in glee as the dragon hastily withdrew from the attacks directed towards her. A plan finally took shape in the queen's sinister mind.

From the corner of her eyes, the Evil Queen noticed the long shards of one of the many shop windows which had shattered during the duel so far. With deadly accuracy, Regina used her magical forces to fling the shards into the air.

Alice desperately tried to evade the attack, but this time she was only partially succesful. A few of the sword sized shards cut through her immense wings and another burrowed itself into the shoulder. Dark blood dripped onto the ground far below as she howled in agony.

Without missing a beat, Regina returnd to her former tactic and unrelentlessly flung more fire orbs at the beast. With each aim carefully placed so as to not actually hit the target, the queen was thrilled to find that she could steer the now weakened Alice wherever she wanted.

Regina read her fortune and knew her upperhand hand had finally been revealed. As she continued to steer the dragon further back, she was amazed to realize Alice had not yet read her cards, though she had basically placed them on the table. Regina knew, of course, that a vengeful, hurt mind did not always read all signs correctly. At least not those besides the signs which were wished for.

As it was, Alice's golden, serpent like eyes only shimmered with hatred as she snarled and withdrew from all the close calls to her injured body.

Regina's smirk widened and she manouvered another attack which only brought the queen further advantage as the dragon once more retreated.

* * *

"Emma!" Ruby called as she saw the small group of people rush down the street, and quickly exited from Granny's. "What's going on? Where did a dragon come from into this world?"

Emma shook her head and replied somewhat out of breath. "It's a long story... It's important, however, that _no one_ else attempts to injure the dragon, do you understand?"

The young woman nodded as she glanced at the duel further away. "As long as it only fights Regina, I don't think that will be much of a problem."

Emma glanced back at the others beside her. Closest to her, David and Mary Margaret were attempting to stop the former hatter from rushing off like a wild tornado. Even though they managed to keep him from rushing into an obvious suicide, they could not extinguish the thunder in his pale eyes.

Henry and Grace remained at the back, and both were watching the furious man with plain anxiety. A single tear rolled from the corner of the girl's eye as she watched the dragon grow smaller on the horizon.

On Emma's other side walked Mr. Gold. He limped slowly but decisively towards the former battle field as he headed towards the burning cars. The blonde woman called out for him as he passed her, but his full attention was evidently elsewhere as he didn't even reply. Withou explanation he limped onwards with an indescribable passion in his own eyes, that were surprisingly not watching the fight ahead.

With a reluctant sigh, Emma turned back to the young woman beside her. "Listen, Ruby... I need you to keep Henry and Grace out of harms way for me, could you do that? We need to control these fires before they go out of control."

She turned ahead and shouted for the elder man, "Gold! Help us do something about the fires!"

"_You_ do something, Ms. Swan!" the man called back in a weary voice. Whatever he had spotted ahead held his interest far more than anything else and he didn't even turn around as he continued, "Concentrate on the flames and diminish them in your head, Ms. Swan. Go on. Do it."

In mild irritation, Emma positioned herself in the middle of the road. She closed her eyes and followed his directions and as soon as she heard Ruby's amazed gasp beside her, she knew it was working. With awe of her own, the sheriff opened her eyes and saw how most of the fires had indeed dimished. The smell of burnt metal and ash remained in the air as smoke continued to rise upwards from the extinguished fires.

Jefferson stepped forward as some of the smoke cleared and gazed ahead, only to realize that the duel was moving swiftly from the main road. He managed a frown as he distantly questioned, "What are they doing?"

"It looks like Regina has become so powerful by the pendant that she can force the dragon to move," David commented bitterly. "Question is where to?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Grace asked in a dark, monotunous tone. Everyone turned to her in confusion as she explained, "If my mom is a dragon, her strongest power is her fire..."

"Of course!" Henry breathed from beside her and his eyes sparkled with the truth. "To conquer the dragon she has to destroy its power. Regina is going to take the fire from your mother."

"Okay, but..." Emma frowned, "How?"

Jefferson's face was void of any emotion and his eyes danced with unshed tears as he voiced his realization, "The lake. She's going to drown the fire."

Without awaiting the others, Jefferson set off towards the harbor with great haste.

"Stay with Ruby, kids!" Emma called before she, David and Mary Margaret hurried after the man.

Henry hesitantly glanced at Grace by his side. He could clearly see fear swirl in her big eyes and he gently nudged her arm with his. When she at last turned her gaze to him, he offered her a friendly smile.

"Your mum will be fine, I'm sure. My mum and your dad will save her. Come on. Let's have a chocolate milk while we wait. My treat."

* * *

Though size remained in her disfavor, Regina managed to push the beast towards the lake faster than she had hoped to expect. She'd used her tactical skills mixed with the raw power which she now possessed, and so far Regina loved the results.

If she was able to control the fiery temper of the dragon in the sky, who still bled from its cuts, then there was no telling what limits she could overcome.

In truth, the surge of energy that ran through her veins almost like electricity felt like a drug to her craving body. If she played her cards right, she could once more regain control of the city and in time surely defeat Snow White and her offspring.

This victory streak would start with the death of a dragon. It seemed fitting somehow to end the life of her former best friend's little sister. In a manner of speaking, it felt she was helping the Pendragons come full circle. At least, perhaps, they could all reunite in death.

At last, the Evil Queen saw the waters of the vast lake and could smell the harbor not far away. With a sinister smirk she looked up at the beast in the skies and willed it out over the water body, as Regina heself stepped onto the closest pier.

As she came to a halt at the very end of the wooden pier, Regina called out loudly, "I believe I always knew it had to end like this, one way or the other! ... I think we both did."

* * *

Despite Jefferson's desperation which pumped through his limbs with a fervor, it was still David who reached the harbor first. He came to a halt by the docks and breathed hard as he watched Regina on the pier further towards the mountains.

High above the lake circled Alice, and even from the distance it was clear this was one fight she was not intending to escape. Even though it seemed to mean an inevitable doom. Still, David chose not to voice this concern out loud as he glanced back at the approaching hatter.

As Jefferson tried to run down towards the pier and the queen, the blond prince reacted without missing a beat and pulled him back forcefully.

"Don't! Regina still hasn't seen us, we still have the upperhand if we can keep our advantage," the prince breathed and felt the other man's muscles tense beneath his jacket. The desire to do the opposite of David's suggestion couldn't have been clearer, but still Jefferson held his ground.

Mary Margaret, who had reached the men's side with Emma only a few seconds before, stepped forward and glanced about, "Where is it? The ship - it's still somewhere by the other pier, isn't it?"

Emma frowned. "You mean Hook's ship? Yeah, it should still be where Neal, eh, parked it. Come on!"

"Wait!" The brunette breathed before any of them could act on their plan. "I'll stay here and attempt to get close to Regina. We have to take the pendant from her. It's the only way to stop this."

"I'll help you," David said and it was plain there was no room for discussion.

"Fine enough. Good luck," Emma turned to the man on her other side, who still seemed to struggle hard with containing his anxious madness. "Come on."

She led the way around the harbor as the battle between queen and dragon begun anew. The blonde woman soon reached the pier on the other end of the lake and rushed towards the invisible ship which she, Neal and Henry had used to bring Mr Gold back into Storybrooke with.

She ran aboard the ship, after finding the invisible staircase, but came to a halt on the wooden deck. Her gaze travelled over to the lone figure who stood by the reeling further away, with his back towards them and his coat flowing in the breeze. The slim man's grim attention seemed to be focused on the scene on the other end of the harbor and for a second, Emma wasn't sure he had noticed her presence at all.

"Hook..." the sheriff breathed anyway and Jefferson waited on baited breath beside her.

Slowly the tall, handsome man turned from watching the battle ahead and glanced back at the two intruders. "Hello, love... Did you think I would not find my dear ship once more? Well, it wasn't very difficult... But you are truly mad if you think I will let you steal it from me a second time."

"We need to get closer to that battle and help that dragon," Emma said in a commanding tone of voice as she decided to cut straight to the chase. There was no time for any form of banter and she needed him to act at once. "I imagine you know exactly what's going on over there. How about doing the right thing for once?"

The pirate's pale eyes sparkled as he mockingly gazed back. "I'd forgotten your fire, Emma... But I have already made my choice. I can't take sides in this."

Something snapped in the other man and Jefferson lunged forward towards the pirate. He would be damned before he saw his chances diminished further. If this was his one chance of helping his wife, he could go to any length to get his wish. He punched the captain across the jaw before he pushed him up hard against the railing. "You will help me!"

With barely concealed anger, Hook snarled, "... Fine. I'll get you over there, but let's just be clear on one thing," he pushed the angry husband away from him. For a second Emma expected them to physically fight, but felt reassured as the pirate backed down and lowered his gaze briefly. As the handsome captain raised his eyes to look at the the man before him, there was dark determination in his eyes, "I'm not doing this for _you_, Hatter."

* * *

Evidently, Alice's anger had begun to diminish as the knowledge of what lay inevitably ahead registered and was plain to see in her every move. Still, Regina admired her bravery. She knew she was as good as dead, but still she fought to avenge the death of her husband.

Still, this game had gone on long enough and there was something Regina wanted to attempt. She focused her mind on the task ahead as she saw Alice too prepare for an attack.

With all her energy focused, the queen turned her attention to the lake and raised a wall of water in front of her which deflected the dragon's firey breath. At once, Regina once more controlled the element as she willed a larger body of water to rise up like a giant wave behind the flying beast.

Alice reacted too late and Regina smirked as the wave slammed into the body of the beast. The queen watched intrigued as the water envelopwd the dragon like a cage, with no way to escape from its watery force. She noticed how the beast attempted to breath fire, but it was pointless as she remained under water.

Regina tilted her head sideways as she willed the water to keep its current state above the lake. She saw Alice claw and kick within the water with more and more desperation, like the final twitches of the suffocating animal.

The dark woman watched in awe as the dragon finally stilled within its watery grave and its shape began to change, Evidently, Alice was too weakend to uphold her beast shape and instead was forced to transform back into her human shape. As soon as she was fully human again, Regina released the water. The blonde woman plunged towards the waters below.

A smirk grew on the Evil Queen's lips as she watched the woman's descent, but her joy was short lived. Something hard knocked her head and Regina tumbled into darkness.

Standing over her unconscious form, David dropped the box, his makeshift weapon, onto the pier, and stepped back.

Meanwhile, Mary Margaret wasted no time as she knelt beside the fallen queen and pulled off the glowing pendant around her neck. As she did, the woman whispered, "I'm glad you haven't learned how to stay unabsorbed by your victories yet, Regina..."

The brunette flung the pendant towards the vast lake, where it soon vanished into the depths of the murky water.

* * *

"_Alice_!" Jefferson howled in agony as his wife slammed into the lake and disappeared beneath the dark surface. Only the ripples on the water betrayed her fall and Jefferson knew she would not reappear by herself any time soon.

He discarded his coat aboard the deck and a second later threw himself over the ship's side and into the depths below. Thankfully, Hook had managed to steer them close to the battle and Alice had hit the water not too far away. At least, the man hoped it was close enough for a rescue mission instead of another form of mission.

"Man the ship, Swan," Hook distantly commanded as he, too, shrugged out of his coat and dove into the lake.

The two men swam over to where the woman had landed and together they dove benath the surface. As their worlds were engulfed by the murkiness of the underwater world, their search bound them unconditionally together.

As the rest of the world disappeared, there was but one thought that ran repeatedly through Jefferson's head. _Save her. Don't let her be dead. Find her._

He dove deeper and deeper into the murky waters. The further he went, he felt as if his soul was drowning. Then suddenly, he became aware of a slim shape further down. Even though his vision was blurred, he knew who it was from the way his heart constricted.

He swam over to the still body of his wife, grabbed hold of her arms and kicked with all his might to will his ascent to go faster. It felt as if time slowed down and as if he made no progress at all, until suddenly he broke the surface and could breath the liberatinf air which filled his lungs. Still, for all Jefferson felt, he might as well still be drowning.

His momentary relief had already been pulled from him as he had realized that the woman in his arms remained perfectly still. So perfectly immobile that he couldn't even mstake her for being asleep. He hardly listened to the exchange between Emma and Hook and, indeed, was not aware of it until the pirate swam over and gently pushed him towards the ship and a rope ladder near by.

By the ladder, Hook pulled the woman from his grasp and Jefferson impatiently climbed aboard the ship. He turned around and watched with fear how the dark-haired pirate swiftly climbed onto the deck with Alice thrown over his shoulder. The captain knelt on the wooden floor as he gently laid the woman down beside them.

Emma pushed the man out of the way as she too knelt by the blonde woman and felt for a pulse on her soaked neck. Now that Alice was out of the water, it was easier to get a proper view of her injuries. Her left shoulder was almost entirely soaked in blood and her skin ghostly pale. Jefferson had only truly seen her in such a state before and the memories of her pale, dead form in his arms flashed before his eyes. Wearily, he leaned forward and tried to breathe deeply as the world around him continued to turn.

"There's no pulse," the sheriff breathed and resolved to heart compressions as Jefferson defeatedly fell to his knees by her side.

"Please, Emma..." He managed and his voice broke as his eyes danced with unshed tears not far from falling. There was such heartbreak in his voice that it nearly cracked the sheriff also. "You're the Saviour... You can do this."

"I'm trying..." She managed between compressions and leaned down to breath into Alice's mouth. On the other side, Hook had withdrawn to steer the vessel back to the pier as fast as possible.

As Emma breathed for Alice once more, the fallen woman suddently twitched and the sheriff pulled back as the other woman turned to the side and, in between struggling gasps of air and coughs, threw up water on the deck.

Jefferson felt his heart re-start at the sight and finally let himself enjoy honest relief. He crawled to his wife and cradled her in his arms as she struggled to calm her shocked body. His touch seemed to help and she leaned into him gratefully.

"You're safe... You're safe..." he muttered into her ear over and over as tears slid down his own cheeks.

* * *

There was a great haze around her and Alice struggled to regain focus. She felt both lost and found at the same time, but mostly her heart beat with regret and shame. The events had transpired not two hours ago and all of it was almost too clear in her worn head.

How she had opted for revenge without barely considering the possible repercussions for her daughter. How she had known it was a suicide mission, but not cared at all. The news of her husband's fate had been the last straw and all that was needed to force her over the edge. She knew now that the news had been premature and knew she was right to blame the messenger this time, for he was not only sly and cunning, but also a highly egoistic foe.

"I'm not sure whether to call you brave or foolish for doing what you did."

Alice opened her eyes and gazed about in the small, private infirmary room. In the open doorway stood the messenger in question and as their eyes met, there seemed to pass a certain understanding between them.

Mr. Gold closed the door behind him as he walked inside and sat down on a chair by the bed. For a couple of long seconds, two pairs of eyes simple met across the unmistakable dividenwhich would always separate them.

At last, the elder man spoke, "I'm sorry it didn't go as planned, Alice."

Alice hummed and nodded, but within her eyes there was another story to be read. Her curious gaze bore into the man as she shook her head and scooted up in her bed. "... Except it did, didn't it?"

The elder man frowned and something unreadable flickered in his dark eyes. "I'm afraid I don't understand what you're talking about."

"It did go according to plan. _Your_ plan, at least," the blonde woman accused with a knowing look and a soft smile that grazed the corner of her lips. She knew she was right, and didn't need him to tell her anything at all. The truth was so obviously written in his eyes, even though he seemed to pretend otherwise. "You know, dragon blood is useful for a lot of things."

"So I hear."

"For example," Alice began with a playful voice and the elder man knew there was no escaping her. Instead he settled back in his seat, as she continued, "it is said to hold magical properties to match even that of true love. If anything could bring back, oh, let's say, memories or perhaps lost bonds of family... dragon's blood could be handy. I imagine you wouldn't let such an opportunity pass you by, would you?"

Not awaiting an answer, the woman leaned back against the pillows as fatigue claimed her worn body. She had after all survived shards of a window stabbed into her shoulder and a nasty swim. She felt she needed a break, borh from life and magic. Dr Whale had been surprised to find her alive at all and proposed the reason for her condition to be mainly thanks to her dragon form. He had suggested her body had better been able to protect itself in her beastly shape.

Gold tilted his head sideways as he watched Alice reach out a hand to the covered stitches on her shoulder. He reached within his coat pocket and slowly withdrew a tiny vial. In its center danced a pale blue liquid which was clearly not from this world.

Alice's gaze lingered on the glass and she frowned in suspicion at the pale liquid within it. "...What is that?"

"_This_..." Gold held the vial out towards the woman. "... is what you want. In return for fighting Regina, I promised you a way out. This will remove your magic. But be warned, the potion will only work in this world. I can give no guaranties should you ever return to the Enchanted forest."

* * *

"_That_?" Grace scrunched up her face as she passed the vial around in her small hands. "This liquid will strip you of your magic? And... dragon self?"

Alice settled into the couch of the living room as she gazed down at her daughter beside her. She could still not believe her luck that Grace once more had listened and understood the truth to her mother's story. In truth, the girl had been visibly hurt until she'd learned the whole truth but now seemed to have reconciled with the idea.

Still, Alice knew her daughter and remained silent as she could practically hear the wheels turn in the little head beside her.

On a chair opposite the table sat Jefferson with Lewis in his lap. The man followed the conversation with interest, but most of all he gazed at the women with simple gratitude. Despite everything they'd been through, they were still there and once more reunited.

Grace finally raised her pale eyes fom the vial and up to her mother. With mild hesitation mixed with curiosity, the girl asked, "And what of me?"

"What about you?" Her father asked as he patted the resting rabbit in his lap.

"I'm the daughter of a dragon, aren't I?" She questioned. "Somehow I have a feeling the two of you haven't forgotten that small fact in all this..."

The blonde woman sighed and nodded as her eyes searched those of her daughter. "I've explained it to you as well as I think I can. I had no magic when I gave birth to you, it's possible you'll never suffer from our family curse. But one can never be certain about these things..."

"It's not fair," the girl disagreed and looked from her mother to her father. "You've just told me I could be both a witch and a dragon... And now you want to take those possibilities away from me."

"No," Alice said softly. "You must understand, dear, that the magic of the Pendragon line has never been a blessing, only a curse. It is dark magic, and there is nothing which can change that. Not even the strongest will."

"But-"

Jefferson interrupted her, "No 'buts', Your mother and I talked about this. You've seen exactly what this magic has done to our family and it's better we stay far away from it all. With any luck that pendant is lost forever and your mother can finally be free."

"It truly is for your sake, Grace," her mother added.

The young girl cuddled close to her mother and sighed. For a second she said nothing but at last spoke, "It's not that I'm ungrateful you can finally be free of it, mum... But it could still be a part of who I am. And i don't think you can change that if it is. _You_ tried, but the well in the forest could still find some of your magic and restore it. You said this potion will only work in this world, didn't you?"

Alice nodded. "That's what Mr. Gold thought."

"Then I have a proposition... We both take the potion now. But should we ever return back home... you'll let me 'test my wings', so to speak. Once."

Alice and Jefferson exchanged a weary look. The man pulled his gaze to his daughter as he questioned, "_Once_?"

Grace smirked. "Once."

Jefferson shrugged as Alice sighed and nodded down at the vial. "Once. Then we'll solve it some other way. After you then."

Lewis chose that moment to leap from Jefferson's lap and skipped over to the sofa. The firl picked him up and placed him in her lap, where he once more settled down an seemed to fall asleep.

The man watched as first his daughter and then his wife drank from the vial. He tensed somewhat as he was unsure what to expect, but nothing happened. Instead the women exchanged a smile before Grace once more cuddled closer to her mother. It was over then. They were free, at leaat in thi world.

"It will be nice with a normal wife and daughter," the man joked and winked at Alice.

She in turn beamed over at him with sparkling eyes that betrayed her mischievous nature. "Too bad we're still stuck with the Mad Hatter."

"You're right, I take it back," the man said with a kind smile. "I doubt we'll ever have any form of normality in this curious family."

Grace snorted. "I sure hope not."

* * *

_The end_

_Thank you for reading this story! I hope you enjoyed it!_


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